Demonstration of surface-enhanced Raman scattering by tunable, plasmonic gallium nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wu, Pae C; Khoury, Christopher G; Kim, Tong-Ho; Yang, Yang; Losurdo, Maria; Bianco, Giuseppe V; Vo-Dinh, Tuan; Brown, April S; Everitt, Henry O

2009-09-02

Size-controlled gallium nanoparticles deposited on sapphire were explored as alternative substrates to enhance Raman spectral signatures. Gallium's resilience following oxidation is inherently advantageous in comparison with silver for practical ex vacuo nonsolution applications. Ga nanoparticles were grown using a simple molecular beam epitaxy-based fabrication protocol, and monitoring their corresponding surface plasmon resonance energy through in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry allowed the nanoparticles to be easily controlled for size. The Raman spectra obtained from cresyl fast violet (CFV) deposited on substrates with differing mean nanoparticle sizes represent the first demonstration of enhanced Raman signals from reproducibly tunable self-assembled Ga nanoparticles. Nonoptimized aggregate enhancement factors of approximately 80 were observed from the substrate with the smallest Ga nanoparticles for CFV dye solutions down to a dilution of 10 ppm.

Demonstration of surface-enhanced Raman scattering by tunable, plasmonic gallium nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Wu, Pae C; Khoury, Christopher G.; Kim, Tong-Ho; Yang, Yang; Losurdo, Maria; Bianco, Giuseppe V.; Vo-Dinh, Tuan; Brown, April S.; Everitt, Henry O.

2009-01-01

Size-controlled gallium nanoparticles deposited on sapphire are explored as alternative substrates to enhance Raman spectral signatures. Gallium’s resilience following oxidation is inherently advantageous compared to silver for practical ex vacuo, non-solution applications. Ga nanoparticles are grown using a simple, molecular beam epitaxy-based fabrication protocol, and by monitoring their corresponding surface plasmon resonance energy through in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry, the nanoparticles are easily controlled for size. Raman spectroscopy performed on cresyl fast violet (CFV) deposited on substrates of differing mean nanoparticle size represents the first demonstration of enhanced Raman signals from reproducibly tunable self-assembled Ga nanoparticles. Non-optimized aggregate enhancement factors of ~80 were observed from the substrate with the smallest Ga nanoparticles for CFV dye solutions down to a dilution of 10 ppm. PMID:19655747

Manipulation of surface plasmon resonance of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna in visible and near-infrared regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yuan; An, Yashuai; Tao, Zhi; Deng, Luogen

2018-03-01

Behaviors of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna are investigated in visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) regions. Compared with the SPR wavelength of a traditional Au aperture antenna, the SPR wavelength of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna shows a remarkable blue shift due to the redistribution of the electric field in the proposed structure. The electric field of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna is highly localized on the surface of the graphene in the aperture and redistributed to be a standing wave. Moreover, the SPR of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna is sensitive to the thickness and the refractive index of the dielectric layer, the graphene Fermi energy, the refractive index of the environment and the polarization direction of the incident light. Finally, we find the wavelength, intensity and phase of the reflected light of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna array can be actively modulated by varying the graphene Fermi energy. The proposed structure provides a promising platform for realizing a tunable optical filter, a highly sensitive refractive index sensor, and other actively tunable optical and optoelectronic devices.

Tunable surface plasmon instability leading to emission of radiation

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

Gumbs, Godfrey; Donostia International Physics Center; Iurov, Andrii, E-mail: aiurov@chtm.unm.edu

2015-08-07

We propose a new approach for energy conversion from a dc electric field to tunable terahertz emission based on hybrid semiconductors by combining two-dimensional (2D) crystalline layers and a thick conducting material with possible applications for chemical analysis, security scanning, medical (single-molecule) imaging, and telecommunications. The hybrid nano-structure may consist of a single or pair of sheets of graphene, silicene, or a 2D electron gas. When an electric current is passed through a 2D layer, we discover that two low-energy plasmon branches exhibit a characteristic loop in their dispersion before they merge into an unstable region beyond a critical wavemore » vector q{sub c}. This finite q{sub c} gives rise to a wavenumber cutoff in the emission dispersion of the surface plasmon induced instability and emission of radiation (spiler). However, there is no instability for a single driven layer far from the conductor, and the instability of an isolated pair of 2D layers occurs without a wavenumber cutoff. The wavenumber cutoff is found to depend on the conductor electron density, layer separation, distances of layers from the conductor surface, and the driving-current strength.« less

Tunable vertical cavity surface emitting lasers for use in the near infrared biological window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitsmiller, Vincent J.; Dummer, Matthew; Johnson, Klein; O'Sullivan, Thomas D.

2018-02-01

We present a near-infrared tunable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) based upon a unique electrothermally tunable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) topside mirror designed for tissue imaging and sensing. At room temperature, the laser is tunable from 769-782nm with single mode CW output and a peak output power of 1.3mW. We show that the tunable VCSEL is suitable for use in frequency domain diffuse optical spectroscopy by measuring the optical properties of a tissue-simulating phantom over the tunable range. These results indicate that tunable VCSELs may be an attractive choice to enable high spectral resolution optical sensing in a wearable format.

Tunable X-ray source

DOEpatents

Boyce, James R [Williamsburg, VA

2011-02-08

A method for the production of X-ray bunches tunable in both time and energy level by generating multiple photon, X-ray, beams through the use of Thomson scattering. The method of the present invention simultaneously produces two X-ray pulses that are tunable in energy and/or time.

Energy Device Applications of Synthesized 1D Polymer Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Huang, Long-Biao; Xu, Wei; Hao, Jianhua

2017-11-01

1D polymer nanomaterials as emerging materials, such as nanowires, nanotubes, and nanopillars, have attracted extensive attention in academia and industry. The distinctive, various, and tunable structures in the nanoscale of 1D polymer nanomaterials present nanointerfaces, high surface-to-volume ratio, and large surface area, which can improve the performance of energy devices. In this review, representative fabrication techniques of 1D polymer nanomaterials are summarized, including electrospinning, template-assisted, template-free, and inductively coupled plasma methods. The recent advancements of 1D polymer nanomaterials in energy device applications are demonstrated. Lastly, existing challenges and prospects of 1D polymer nanomaterials for energy device applications are presented. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A tunable plasmonic nano-antenna based on metal–graphene double-nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhewei; Sun, Chen; Si, Jiangnan; Deng, Xiaoxu

2018-05-01

A tunable plasmonic antenna based on metal–graphene nanostructures is proposed in the mid-infrared region, composed of two identical gold nanorods placed on separated graphene sheets. The unidirectional side scattering of the plasmonic antenna achieved by the constructive and destructive interference of the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) of the nanorods is investigated using finite-difference time-domain solutions and is theoretically analyzed based on a two point dipole model. The scattering directivity peak of the plasmonic antenna is red-shifted linearly with increasing refractive index of the environment. The scattering direction from the plasmonic antenna is switched actively by tuning the LSPRs of the nanorods with the Fermi energies of the separated graphene sheets. The refractive index sensitivity and active tunable scattering direction of the plasmonic antenna provides a promising application to manipulate light at the nanoscale in the fields of bio-sensing and optoelectronic devices.

Hierarchical multiscale hyperporous block copolymer membranes via tunable dual-phase separation

PubMed Central

Yoo, Seungmin; Kim, Jung-Hwan; Shin, Myoungsoo; Park, Hyungmin; Kim, Jeong-Hoon; Lee, Sang-Young; Park, Soojin

2015-01-01

The rational design and realization of revolutionary porous structures have been long-standing challenges in membrane science. We demonstrate a new class of amphiphilic polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) block copolymer (BCP)–based porous membranes featuring hierarchical multiscale hyperporous structures. The introduction of surface energy–modifying agents and the control of major phase separation parameters (such as nonsolvent polarity and solvent drying time) enable tunable dual-phase separation of BCPs, eventually leading to macro/nanoscale porous structures and chemical functionalities far beyond those accessible with conventional approaches. Application of this BCP membrane to a lithium-ion battery separator affords exceptional improvement in electrochemical performance. The dual-phase separation–driven macro/nanopore construction strategy, owing to its simplicity and tunability, is expected to be readily applicable to a rich variety of membrane fields including molecular separation, water purification, and energy-related devices. PMID:26601212

Pollenkitt wetting mechanism enables species-specific tunable pollen adhesion.

PubMed

Lin, Haisheng; Gomez, Ismael; Meredith, J Carson

2013-03-05

Plant pollens are microscopic particles exhibiting a remarkable breadth of complex solid surface features. In addition, many pollen grains are coated with a viscous liquid, "pollenkitt", thought to play important roles in pollen dispersion and adhesion. However, there exist no quantitative studies of the effects of solid surface features or pollenkitt on adhesion of pollen grains, and it remains unclear what role these features play in pollen adhesion and transport. We report AFM adhesion measurements of five pollen species with a series of test surfaces in which each pollen has a unique solid surface morphology and pollenkitt volume. The results indicate that the combination of surface morphology (size and shape of echinate or reticulate features) with the pollenkitt volume provides pollens with a remarkably tunable adhesion to surfaces. With pollenkitt removed, pollen grains had relatively low adhesion strengths that were independent of surface chemistry and scalable with the tip radius of the pollen's ornamentation features, according to the Hamaker model. With the pollenkitt intact, adhesion was up to 3-6 times higher than the dry grains and exhibited strong substrate dependence. The adhesion enhancing effect of pollenkitt was driven by the formation of pollenkitt capillary bridges and was surprisingly species-dependent, with echinate insect-pollinated species (dandelion and sunflower) showing significantly stronger adhesion and higher substrate dependence than wind-pollinated species (ragweed, poplar, and olive). The combination of high pollenkitt volume and large convex, spiny surface features in echinate entomophilous varieties appears to enhance the spreading area of the liquid pollenkitt relative to varieties of pollen with less pollenkitt volume and less pronounced surface features. Measurements of pollenkitt surface energy indicate that the adhesive strength of capillary bridges is primarily dependent on nonpolar van der Waals interactions, with some contribution from the Lewis basic component of surface energy.

Low-Energy Tunable Self-Modulated Nanolasers (1.1 SHORT-TERM INNOVATIVE RESEARCH (STIR) PROGRAM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-28

Optoelectronics: Low -Energy Tunable Self- Modulated Nanolasers (1.1 SHORT-TERM INNOVATIVE RESEARCH (STIR) PROGRAM) Our goal was to exploit Quantum...reviewed journals: Final Report: Optoelectronics: Low -Energy Tunable Self-Modulated Nanolasers (1.1 SHORT-TERM INNOVATIVE RESEARCH (STIR) PROGRAM...metal layer. By optimizing the thickness of the low index shield between the metal and semiconductor, the gain threshold of the laser can be

Silver nanoparticles with tunable work functions

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

Wang, Pangpang, E-mail: pangpang@molecular-device.kyushu-u.ac.jp; Tanaka, Daisuke; Ryuzaki, Sou

To improve the efficiencies of electronic devices, materials with variable work functions are required to decrease the energy level differences at the interfaces between working layers. Here, we report a method to obtain silver nanoparticles with tunable work functions, which have the same silver core of 5 nm in diameter and are capped by myristates and 1-octanethoilates self-assembled monolayers, respectively. The silver nanoparticles capped by organic molecules can form a uniform two-dimensional sheet at air-water interface, and the sheet can be transferred on various hydrophobic substrates. The surface potential of the two-dimensional nanoparticle sheet was measured in terms of Kelvin probemore » force microscopy, and the work function of the sheet was then calculated from the surface potential value by comparing with a reference material. The exchange of the capping molecules results in a work function change of approximately 150–250 meV without affecting their hydrophobicity. We systematically discussed the origin of the work function difference and found it should come mainly from the anchor groups of the ligand molecules. The organic molecule capped nanoparticles with tunable work functions have a potential for the applications in organic electronic devices.« less

Tuning Charge and Correlation Effects for a Single Molecule on a Graphene Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Wickenburg, Sebastian; Lu, Jiong; Lischner, Johannes; Omrani, Arash A.; Riss, Alexander; Karrasch, Christoph; Jung, Han Sae; Khajeh, Ramin; Wong, Dillon; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Zettl, Alex; Louie, Steven G.; Crommie, Michael F.

Controlling electronic devices down to the single molecule level is a grand challenge of nanotechnology. Single-molecules have been integrated into devices capable of tuning electronic response, but a drawback for these systems is that their microscopic structure remains unknown due to inability to image molecules in the junction region. Here we present a combined STM and nc-AFM study demonstrating gate-tunable control of the charge state of individual F4TCNQ molecules at the surface of a graphene field effect transistor. This is different from previous studies in that the Fermi level of the substrate was continuously tuned across the molecular orbital energy level. Using STS we have determined the resulting energy level evolution of the LUMO, its associated vibronic modes, and the graphene Dirac point (ED). We show that the energy difference between ED and the LUMO increases as EF is moved away from ED due to electron-electron interactions that renormalize the molecular quasiparticle energy. This is attributed to gate-tunable image-charge screening in graphene and corroborated by ab initio calculations.

Method and apparatus for varying accelerator beam output energy

DOEpatents

Young, Lloyd M.

1998-01-01

A coupled cavity accelerator (CCA) accelerates a charged particle beam with rf energy from a rf source. An input accelerating cavity receives the charged particle beam and an output accelerating cavity outputs the charged particle beam at an increased energy. Intermediate accelerating cavities connect the input and the output accelerating cavities to accelerate the charged particle beam. A plurality of tunable coupling cavities are arranged so that each one of the tunable coupling cavities respectively connect an adjacent pair of the input, output, and intermediate accelerating cavities to transfer the rf energy along the accelerating cavities. An output tunable coupling cavity can be detuned to variably change the phase of the rf energy reflected from the output coupling cavity so that regions of the accelerator can be selectively turned off when one of the intermediate tunable coupling cavities is also detuned.

Development of Polydimethylsiloxane Substrates with Tunable Elastic Modulus to Study Cell Mechanobiology in Muscle and Nerve

PubMed Central

Palchesko, Rachelle N.; Zhang, Ling; Sun, Yan; Feinberg, Adam W.

2012-01-01

Mechanics is an important component in the regulation of cell shape, proliferation, migration and differentiation during normal homeostasis and disease states. Biomaterials that match the elastic modulus of soft tissues have been effective for studying this cell mechanobiology, but improvements are needed in order to investigate a wider range of physicochemical properties in a controlled manner. We hypothesized that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) blends could be used as the basis of a tunable system where the elastic modulus could be adjusted to match most types of soft tissue. To test this we formulated blends of two commercially available PDMS types, Sylgard 527 and Sylgard 184, which enabled us to fabricate substrates with an elastic modulus anywhere from 5 kPa up to 1.72 MPa. This is a three order-of-magnitude range of tunability, exceeding what is possible with other hydrogel and PDMS systems. Uniquely, the elastic modulus can be controlled independently of other materials properties including surface roughness, surface energy and the ability to functionalize the surface by protein adsorption and microcontact printing. For biological validation, PC12 (neuronal inducible-pheochromocytoma cell line) and C2C12 (muscle cell line) were used to demonstrate that these PDMS formulations support cell attachment and growth and that these substrates can be used to probe the mechanosensitivity of various cellular processes including neurite extension and muscle differentiation. PMID:23240031

Generation of ultra-wideband achromatic Airy plasmons on a graphene surface.

PubMed

Guan, Chunying; Yuan, Tingting; Chu, Rang; Shen, Yize; Zhu, Zheng; Shi, Jinhui; Li, Ping; Yuan, Libo; Brambilla, Gilberto

2017-02-01

Tunable ultra-wideband achromatic plasmonic Airy beams are demonstrated on graphene surfaces. Surface plasmonic polaritons are excited using diffractive gratings. The phase and amplitude of plasmonic waves on the graphene surface are determined by the relative position between the grating arrays and the duty ratio of the grating unit cell, respectively. The transverse acceleration and nondiffraction properties of plasmonic waves are observed. The achromatic Airy plasmons with identical acceleration trajectory at different excited frequencies can be achieved by tuning dynamically the Fermi energy of graphene without reoptimizing the grating structures. The proposed devices may find applications in photonics integrations and surface optical manipulation.

Dynamically tunable extraordinary light absorption in monolayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safaei, Alireza; Chandra, Sayan; Vázquez-Guardado, Abraham; Calderon, Jean; Franklin, Daniel; Tetard, Laurene; Zhai, Lei; Leuenberger, Michael N.; Chanda, Debashis

2017-10-01

The high carrier mobility of graphene makes it an attractive material for electronics, however, graphene's application for optoelectronic systems is limited due to its low optical absorption. We present a cavity-coupled nanopatterned graphene absorber designed to sustain temporal and spatial overlap between localized surface plasmon resonance and cavity modes, thereby resulting in enhanced absorption up to an unprecedented value of theoretically (60 %) and experimentally measured (45 %) monolayer graphene in the technologically relevant 8-12-μm atmospheric transparent infrared imaging band. We demonstrate a wide electrostatic tunability of the absorption band (˜2 μ m ) by modifying the Fermi energy. The proposed device design allows enhanced absorption and dynamic tunability of chemical vapor deposition grown low carrier mobility graphene which provides a significant advantage over previous strategies where absorption enhancement was limited to exfoliated high carrier mobility graphene. We developed an analytical model that incorporates the coupling of the graphene electron and substrate phonons, providing valuable and instructive insights into the modified plasmon-phonon dispersion relation necessary to interpret the experimental observations. Such gate voltage and cavity tunable enhanced absorption in chemical vapor deposited large area monolayer graphene paves the path towards the scalable development of ultrasensitive infrared photodetectors, modulators, and other optoelectronic devices.

Femtosecond laser induced tunable surface transformations on (111) Si aided by square grids diffraction

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

Han, Weina; Jiang, Lan; Li, Xiaowei, E-mail: lixiaowei@bit.edu.cn

We report an extra freedom to modulate the femtosecond laser energy distribution to control the surface ablated structures through a copper-grid mask. Due to the reduced deposited pulse energy by changing the scanning speed or the pulse fluence, a sequential evolution of three distinctly different surface patterns with periodic distributions is formed, namely, striped ripple lines, ripple microdots, and surface modification. By changing the scanning speed, the number of the multiple dots in a lattice can be modulated. Moreover, by exploring the ablation process through the copper grid mask, it shows an abnormal enhanced ablation effect with strong dependence ofmore » the diffraction-aided fs laser ablated surface structures on polarization direction. The sensitivity shows a quasi-cosinusoid-function with a periodicity of π/2. Particularly, the connection process of striped ripple lines manifests a preferential formation direction with the laser polarization.« less

Toward tunable band gap and tunable dirac point in bilayer graphene with molecular doping.

PubMed

Yu, Woo Jong; Liao, Lei; Chae, Sang Hoon; Lee, Young Hee; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-11-09

The bilayer graphene has attracted considerable attention for potential applications in future electronics and optoelectronics because of the feasibility to tune its band gap with a vertical displacement field to break the inversion symmetry. Surface chemical doping in bilayer graphene can induce an additional offset voltage to fundamentally affect the vertical displacement field and the band gap opening in bilayer graphene. In this study, we investigate the effect of chemical molecular doping on band gap opening in bilayer graphene devices with single or dual gate modulation. Chemical doping with benzyl viologen molecules modulates the displacement field to allow the opening of a transport band gap and the increase of the on/off ratio in the bilayer graphene transistors. Additionally, Fermi energy level in the opened gap can be rationally controlled by the amount of molecular doping to obtain bilayer graphene transistors with tunable Dirac points, which can be readily configured into functional devices, such as complementary inverters.

Tunable magnetic properties by interfacial manipulation of L1(0)-FePt perpendicular ultrathin film with island-like structures.

PubMed

Feng, C; Wang, S G; Yang, M Y; Zhang, E; Zhan, Q; Jiang, Y; Li, B H; Yu, G H

2012-02-01

Based on interfacial manipulation of the MgO single crystal substrate and non-magnetic AIN compound, a L1(0)-FePt perpendicular ultrathin film with the structure of MgO/FePt-AIN/Ta was designed, prepared, and investigated. The film is comprised of L1(0)-FePt "magnetic islands," which exhibits a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), tunable coercivity (Hc), and interparticle exchange coupling (IEC). The MgO substrate promotes PMA of the film because of interfacial control of the FePt lattice orientation. The AIN compound is doped to increase the difference of surface energy between FePt layer and MgO substrate and to suppress the growth of FePt grains, which takes control of island growth mode of FePt atoms. The AIN compound also acts as isolator of L1(0)-FePt islands to pin the sites of FePt domains, resulting in the tunability of Hc and IEC of the films.

Optical properties of plasmonic nanostructures: Theory & experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bala Krishna, Juluri

Metal nanoparticles and thin films enable localization of electromagnetic energy in the form of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) and propagating surface plasmons respectively. This research field, also known as plasmonics, involves understanding and fabricating innovative nanostructures designed to manage and utilize localized light in the nanoscale. Advances in plasmonics will facilitate innovation in sensing, biomedical engineering, energy harvesting and nanophotonic devices. In this thesis, three aspects of plasmonics are studied: 1) active plasmonic systems using charge-induced plasmon shifts (CIPS) and plasmon-molecule resonant coupling; 2) scalable solutions to fabricate large electric field plasmonic nanostructures; and 3) controlling the propagation of designer surface plasmons (DSPs) using parabolic graded media. The full potential of plasmonics can be realized with active plasmonic devices which provide tunable plasmon resonances. The work reported here develops both an understanding for and realization of various mechanisms to achieve tunable plasmonic systems. First, we show that certain nanoparticle geometries and material compositions enable large CIPS. Second, we propose and investigate systems which exhibit coupling between molecular and plasmonic resonances where energy splitting is observed due to interactions between plasmons and molecules. Large electric field nanostructures have many promising applications in the areas of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, higher harmonic light generation, and enhanced uorescence. High throughput techniques that utilize simple nanofabrication are essential their advancement. We contribute to this effort by using a salting-out quenching technique and colloidal lithography to fabricate nanodisc dimers and cusp nanostructures that allow localization of large electric fields, and are comparable to structures fabricated by conventional lithography/milling techniques. Designer surface plasmons (DSPs) are surface waves that are localized to the interface between a structured perfect electric conductor (PEC) surface and dielectric medium. Terahertz (THz) DSPs excited on microscale structured PEC are localized in the out-of-plane direction, with negligible in-plane localization. We addressed this problem by subjecting DSPs to a parabolic graded-index structure. Lateral confinement such as focusing, collimation, and waveguiding of DSPs is demonstrated. Such control will pave the way towards THz energy concentration, diffusion, guiding, and beam aperture modifcation.

Self-organised synthesis of Rh nanostructures with tunable chemical reactivity

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Nonequilibrium periodic nanostructures such as nanoscale ripples, mounds and rhomboidal pyramids formed on Rh(110) are particularly interesting as candidate model systems with enhanced catalytic reactivity, since they are endowed with steep facets running along nonequilibrium low-symmetry directions, exposing a high density of undercoordinated atoms. In this review we report on the formation of these novel nanostructured surfaces, a kinetic process which can be controlled by changing parameters such as temperature, sputtering ion flux and energy. The role of surface morphology with respect to chemical reactivity is investigated by analysing the carbon monoxide dissociation probability on the different nanostructured surfaces.

HEKATE-A novel grazing incidence neutron scattering concept for the European Spallation Source.

PubMed

Glavic, Artur; Stahn, Jochen

2018-03-01

Structure and magnetism at surfaces and buried interfaces on the nanoscale can only be accessed by few techniques, one of which is grazing incidence neutron scattering. While the technique has its strongest limitation in a low signal and large background, due to the low scattering probability and need for high resolution, it can be expected that the high intensity of the European Spallation Source in Lund, Sweden, will make many more such studies possible, warranting a dedicated beamline for this technique. We present an instrument concept, Highly Extended K range And Tunable Experiment (HEKATE), for surface scattering that combines the advantages of two Selene neutron guides with unique capabilities of spatially separated distinct wavelength frames. With this combination, it is not only possible to measure large specular reflectometry ranges, even on free liquid surfaces, but also to use two independent incident beams with tunable sizes and resolutions that can be optimized for the specifics of the investigated samples. Further the instrument guide geometry is tuned for reduction of high energy particle background and only uses low to moderate supermirror coatings for high reliability and affordable cost.

HEKATE—A novel grazing incidence neutron scattering concept for the European Spallation Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glavic, Artur; Stahn, Jochen

2018-03-01

Structure and magnetism at surfaces and buried interfaces on the nanoscale can only be accessed by few techniques, one of which is grazing incidence neutron scattering. While the technique has its strongest limitation in a low signal and large background, due to the low scattering probability and need for high resolution, it can be expected that the high intensity of the European Spallation Source in Lund, Sweden, will make many more such studies possible, warranting a dedicated beamline for this technique. We present an instrument concept, Highly Extended K range And Tunable Experiment (HEKATE), for surface scattering that combines the advantages of two Selene neutron guides with unique capabilities of spatially separated distinct wavelength frames. With this combination, it is not only possible to measure large specular reflectometry ranges, even on free liquid surfaces, but also to use two independent incident beams with tunable sizes and resolutions that can be optimized for the specifics of the investigated samples. Further the instrument guide geometry is tuned for reduction of high energy particle background and only uses low to moderate supermirror coatings for high reliability and affordable cost.

Colloidal aluminum nanoparticles with tunable localized surface plasmon resonances for energy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yan; Smith, Kenneth; Arinze, Ebuka; Nyirjesy, Gabrielle; Bragg, Arthur; Thon, Susanna

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of noble metal nanoparticles are of interest for energy applications due to their visible and near infrared wavelength sensitivity. However, application of these materials in optoelectronic devices is limited by their rarity and high cost. Earth-abundant, inexpensive and non-toxic aluminum is a promising alternative material with a plasmon resonance that can also be tuned via size-, shape- and surface-oxide-control. Here, we employ solution-processed methods to synthesize stable colloidal aluminum nanoparticles. We systematically investigate parameters in the synthesis that control size, shape and oxidation of the aluminum nanoparticles and tune their LSPRs over the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. We optically characterize the nanoparticle solutions and evaluate their potential for future integration into photovoltaic, photocatalytic and photosensing systems.

Modification of electronic properties of graphene by using low-energy K{sup +} ions

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

Kim, Jingul; Lee, Paengro; Ryu, Mintae

2016-05-02

Despite its superb electronic properties, the semi-metallic nature of graphene with no band gap (E{sub g}) at the Dirac point has been a stumbling block for its industrial application. We report an improved means of producing a tunable band gap over other schemes by doping low energy (10 eV) potassium ions (K{sup +}) on single layer graphene formed on 6H-SiC(0001) surface, where the noble Dirac nature of the π-band remains almost unaltered. The changes in the π-band induced by K{sup +} ions reveal that the band gap increases gradually with increasing dose (θ) of the ions up to E{sub g} = 0.65 eV atmore » θ = 1.10 monolayers, demonstrating the tunable character of the band gap. Our core level data for C 1s, Si 2p, and K 2p suggest that the K{sup +}-induced asymmetry in charge distribution among carbon atoms drives the opening of band gap, which is in sharp contrast with no band gap when neutral K atoms are adsorbed on graphene. This tunable K{sup +}-induced band gap in graphene illustrates its potential application in graphene-based nano-electronics.« less

Color-Tunable ZnO/GaN Heterojunction LEDs Achieved by Coupling with Ag Nanowire Surface Plasmons.

PubMed

Yang, Liu; Wang, Yue; Xu, Haiyang; Liu, Weizhen; Zhang, Cen; Wang, Chunliang; Wang, Zhongqiang; Ma, Jiangang; Liu, Yichun

2018-05-09

Color-tunable light-emitting devices (LEDs) have a great impact on our daily life. Herein, LEDs with tunable electroluminescence (EL) color were achieved via introducing Ag nanowires surface plasmons into p-GaN/n-ZnO film heterostructures. By optimizing the surface coverage density of coated Ag nanowires, the EL color was changed continuously from yellow-green to blue-violet. Transient-state and temperature-variable fluorescence emission characterizations uncovered that the spontaneous emission rate and the internal quantum efficiency of the near-UV emission were increased as a consequence of the resonance coupling interaction between Ag nanowires surface plasmons and ZnO excitons. This effect induces the selective enhancement of the blue-violet EL component but suppresses the defect-related yellow-green emission, leading to the observed tunable EL color. The proposed strategy of introducing surface plasmons can be further applied to many other kinds of LEDs for their selective enhancement of EL intensity and effective adjustment of the emission color.

Formation of Triboelectric Series via Atomic-Level Surface Functionalization for Triboelectric Energy Harvesting.

PubMed

Shin, Sung-Ho; Bae, Young Eun; Moon, Hyun Kyung; Kim, Jungkil; Choi, Suk-Ho; Kim, Yongho; Yoon, Hyo Jae; Lee, Min Hyung; Nah, Junghyo

2017-06-27

Triboelectric charging involves frictional contact of two different materials, and their contact electrification usually relies on polarity difference in the triboelectric series. This limits the choices of materials for triboelectric contact pairs, hindering research and development of energy harvest devices utilizing triboelectric effect. A progressive approach to resolve this issue involves modification of chemical structures of materials for effectively engineering their triboelectric properties. Here, we describe a facile method to change triboelectric property of a polymeric surface via atomic-level chemical functionalizations using a series of halogens and amines, which allows a wide spectrum of triboelectric series over single material. Using this method, tunable triboelectric output power density is demonstrated in triboelectric generators. Furthermore, molecular-scale calculation using density functional theory unveils that electrons transferred through electrification are occupying the PET group rather than the surface functional group. The work introduced here would open the ability to tune triboelectric property of materials by chemical modification of surface and facilitate the development of energy harvesting devices and sensors exploiting triboelectric effect.

Tunable Band Alignment with Unperturbed Carrier Mobility of On-Surface Synthesized Organic Semiconducting Wires

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The tunable properties of molecular materials place them among the favorites for a variety of future generation devices. In addition, to maintain the current trend of miniaturization of those devices, a departure from the present top-down production methods may soon be required and self-assembly appears among the most promising alternatives. On-surface synthesis unites the promises of molecular materials and of self-assembly, with the sturdiness of covalently bonded structures: an ideal scenario for future applications. Following this idea, we report the synthesis of functional extended nanowires by self-assembly. In particular, the products correspond to one-dimensional organic semiconductors. The uniaxial alignment provided by our substrate templates allows us to access with exquisite detail their electronic properties, including the full valence band dispersion, by combining local probes with spatial averaging techniques. We show how, by selectively doping the molecular precursors, the product’s energy level alignment can be tuned without compromising the charge carrier’s mobility. PMID:26841052

Tunability of the dielectric function of heavily doped germanium thin films for mid-infrared plasmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frigerio, Jacopo; Ballabio, Andrea; Isella, Giovanni; Sakat, Emilie; Pellegrini, Giovanni; Biagioni, Paolo; Bollani, Monica; Napolitani, Enrico; Manganelli, Costanza; Virgilio, Michele; Grupp, Alexander; Fischer, Marco P.; Brida, Daniele; Gallacher, Kevin; Paul, Douglas J.; Baldassarre, Leonetta; Calvani, Paolo; Giliberti, Valeria; Nucara, Alessandro; Ortolani, Michele

2016-08-01

Heavily doped semiconductor thin films are very promising for application in mid-infrared plasmonic devices because the real part of their dielectric function is negative and broadly tunable in the 5 to 50 μ m wavelength range at least. In this work, we investigate the electrodynamics of heavily n -type-doped germanium epilayers at infrared frequencies beyond the assumptions of the Drude model. The films are grown on silicon and germanium substrates, are in situ doped with phosphorous in the 1017 to 1019 cm-3 range, then screened plasma frequencies in the 100 to 1200 cm-1 range were observed. We employ infrared spectroscopy, pump-probe spectroscopy, and dc transport measurements to determine the tunability of the plasma frequency. Although no plasmonic structures have been realized in this work, we derive estimates of the decay time of mid-infrared plasmons and of their figures of merit for field confinement and for surface plasmon propagation. The average electron scattering rate increases almost linearly with excitation frequency, in agreement with quantum calculations based on a model of the ellipsoidal Fermi surface at the conduction band minimum of germanium accounting for electron scattering with optical phonons and charged impurities. Instead, we found weak dependence of plasmon losses on neutral impurity density. In films where a transient plasma was generated by optical pumping, we found significant dependence of the energy relaxation times in the few-picosecond range on the static doping level of the film, confirming the key but indirect role played by charged impurities in energy relaxation. Our results indicate that underdamped mid-infrared plasma oscillations are attained in n -type-doped germanium at room temperature.

Development of tunable high pressure CO2 laser for lidar measurements of pollutants and wind velocities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, J. S.; Guerra, M.; Javan, A.

1980-01-01

The problem of laser energy extraction at a tunable monochromatic frequency from an energetic high pressure CO2 pulsed laser plasma, for application to remote sensing of atmospheric pollutants by Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and of wind velocities by Doppler Lidar, was investigated. The energy extraction principle analyzed is based on transient injection locking (TIL) at a tunable frequency. Several critical experiments for high gain power amplification by TIL are presented.

Coherent and Tunable Terahertz Radiation from Graphene Surface Plasmon Polarirons Excited by Cyclotron Electron Beam

PubMed Central

Zhao, Tao; Gong, Sen; Hu, Min; Zhong, Renbin; Liu, Diwei; Chen, Xiaoxing; Zhang, Ping; Wang, Xinran; Zhang, Chao; Wu, Peiheng; Liu, Shenggang

2015-01-01

Terahertz (THz) radiation can revolutionize modern science and technology. To this date, it remains big challenges to develop intense, coherent and tunable THz radiation sources that can cover the whole THz frequency region either by means of only electronics (both vacuum electronics and semiconductor electronics) or of only photonics (lasers, for example, quantum cascade laser). Here we present a mechanism which can overcome these difficulties in THz radiation generation. Due to the natural periodicity of 2π of both the circular cylindrical graphene structure and cyclotron electron beam (CEB), the surface plasmon polaritions (SPPs) dispersion can cross the light line of dielectric, making transformation of SPPs into radiation immediately possible. The dual natural periodicity also brings significant excellences to the excitation and the transformation. The fundamental and hybrid SPPs modes can be excited and transformed into radiation. The excited SPPs propagate along the cyclotron trajectory together with the beam and gain energy from the beam continuously. The radiation density is enhanced over 300 times, up to 105 W/cm2. The radiation frequency can be widely tuned by adjusting the beam energy or chemical potential. This mechanism opens a way for developing desired THz radiation sources to cover the whole THz frequency regime. PMID:26525516

Multi-stability in folded shells: non-Euclidean origami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Arthur

2015-03-01

Both natural and man-made structures benefit from having multiple mechanically stable states, from the quick snapping motion of hummingbird beaks to micro-textured surfaces with tunable roughness. Rather than discuss special fabrication techniques for creating bi-stability through material anisotropy, in this talk I will present several examples of how folding a structure can modify the energy landscape and thus lead to multiple stable states. Using ideas from origami and differential geometry, I will discuss how deforming a non-Euclidean surface can be done either continuously or discontinuously, and explore the effects that global constraints have on the ultimate stability of the surface.

Thin film surface modifications of thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers for high-efficiency proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

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

Kang, Zhenye; Mo, Jingke; Yang, Gaoqiang

We present that a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC) is one of the most promising devices for high-efficiency and low-cost energy storage and ultrahigh purity hydrogen production. As one of the critical components in PEMECs, the titanium thin/tunable LGDL (TT-LGDL) with its advantages of small thickness, planar surface, straight-through pores, and well-controlled pore morphologies, achieved superior multifunctional performance for hydrogen and oxygen production from water splitting even at low temperature. Different thin film surface treatments on the novel TT-LGDLs for enhancing the interfacial contacts and PEMEC performance were investigated both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. Surface modifiedmore » TT-LGDLs with about 180 nm thick Au thin film yielded performance improvement (voltage reduction), from 1.6849 V with untreated TT-LGDLs to only 1.6328 V with treated TT-LGDLs at 2.0 A/cm 2 and 80°C. Furthermore, the hydrogen/oxygen production rate was increased by about 28.2% at 1.60 V and 80°C. The durability test demonstrated that the surface treated TT-LGDL has good stability as well. Finally, the gold electroplating surface treatment is a promising method for the PEMEC performance enhancement and titanium material protection even in harsh environment.« less

Thin film surface modifications of thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers for high-efficiency proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

DOE PAGES

Kang, Zhenye; Mo, Jingke; Yang, Gaoqiang; ...

2017-09-14

We present that a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC) is one of the most promising devices for high-efficiency and low-cost energy storage and ultrahigh purity hydrogen production. As one of the critical components in PEMECs, the titanium thin/tunable LGDL (TT-LGDL) with its advantages of small thickness, planar surface, straight-through pores, and well-controlled pore morphologies, achieved superior multifunctional performance for hydrogen and oxygen production from water splitting even at low temperature. Different thin film surface treatments on the novel TT-LGDLs for enhancing the interfacial contacts and PEMEC performance were investigated both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. Surface modifiedmore » TT-LGDLs with about 180 nm thick Au thin film yielded performance improvement (voltage reduction), from 1.6849 V with untreated TT-LGDLs to only 1.6328 V with treated TT-LGDLs at 2.0 A/cm 2 and 80°C. Furthermore, the hydrogen/oxygen production rate was increased by about 28.2% at 1.60 V and 80°C. The durability test demonstrated that the surface treated TT-LGDL has good stability as well. Finally, the gold electroplating surface treatment is a promising method for the PEMEC performance enhancement and titanium material protection even in harsh environment.« less

An investigation on the physicochemical properties of the nanostructured [(4-X)PMAT][N(CN)2] ion pairs as energetic and tunable aryl alkyl amino tetrazolium based ionic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalili, Behzad; Rimaz, Mehdi

2017-06-01

In this study the different class of tunable and high nitrogen content ionic liquids termed TAMATILs (Tunable Aryl Methyl Amino Tetrazolium based Ionic Liquids) were designed. The physicochemical properties of the nanostructured TAMATILs composed of para substituted phenyl methyl amino tetrazolium cations [(4-X)PMAT]+ (X = H, Me, OCH3, OH, NH2, NO2, F, CN, CHO, CF3, COMe and CO2Me) and dicyanimide anion [N(CN)2]- were fully investigated using M06-2X functional in conjunction with the 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. For all of the studied nanostructured ILs the structural parameters, interaction energy, cation's enthalpy of formation, natural charges, charge transfer values and topological properties were calculated and discussed. The substituent effect on the interaction energy and physicochemical properties also is taking into account. The results showed that the strength of interaction has a linear correlation with electron content of the phenyl ring in a way the substituents with electron withdrawing effects lead to make more stable ion pairs with higher interaction energies. Some of the main physical properties of ILs such as surface tension, melting point, critical-point temperature, electrochemical stability and conductivity are discussed and estimated for studying ion pairs using quantum chemical computationally obtained thermochemical data. Finally the enthalpy and Gibbs free energy of formation for twelve nanostructured individual cations with the general formula of [(4-X)PMAT]+ (X = 4-H, 4-Me, 4-OMe, 4-OH, 4-NH2, 4-NO2, 4-F, 4-CN, 4-CHO, 4-CF3, 4-COMe and 4-CO2Me) are calculated.

Tunable optofluidic microring laser based on a tapered hollow core microstructured optical fiber.

PubMed

Li, Zhi-Li; Zhou, Wen-Yuan; Luo, Ming-Ming; Liu, Yan-Ge; Tian, Jian-Guo

2015-04-20

A tunable optofluidic microring dye laser within a tapered hollow core microstructured optical fiber was demonstrated. The fiber core was filled with a microfluidic gain medium plug and axially pumped by a nanosecond pulse laser at 532 nm. Strong radial emission and low-threshold lasing (16 nJ/pulse) were achieved. Lasing was achieved around the surface of the microfluidic plug. Laser emission was tuned by changing the liquid surface location along the tapered fiber. The possibility of developing a tunable laser within the tapered simplified hollow core microstructured optical fiber presents opportunities for developing liquid surface position sensors and biomedical analysis.

Broadband gate-tunable terahertz plasmons in graphene heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Baicheng; Liu, Yuan; Huang, Shu-Wei; Choi, Chanyeol; Xie, Zhenda; Flor Flores, Jaime; Wu, Yu; Yu, Mingbin; Kwong, Dim-Lee; Huang, Yu; Rao, Yunjiang; Duan, Xiangfeng; Wong, Chee Wei

2018-01-01

Graphene, a unique two-dimensional material comprising carbon in a honeycomb lattice1, has brought breakthroughs across electronics, mechanics and thermal transport, driven by the quasiparticle Dirac fermions obeying a linear dispersion2,3. Here, we demonstrate a counter-pumped all-optical difference frequency process to coherently generate and control terahertz plasmons in atomic-layer graphene with octave-level tunability and high efficiency. We leverage the inherent surface asymmetry of graphene for strong second-order nonlinear polarizability4,5, which, together with tight plasmon field confinement, enables a robust difference frequency signal at terahertz frequencies. The counter-pumped resonant process on graphene uniquely achieves both energy and momentum conservation. Consequently, we demonstrate a dual-layer graphene heterostructure with terahertz charge- and gate-tunability over an octave, from 4.7 THz to 9.4 THz, bounded only by the pump amplifier optical bandwidth. Theoretical modelling supports our single-volt-level gate tuning and optical-bandwidth-bounded 4.7 THz phase-matching measurements through the random phase approximation, with phonon coupling, saturable absorption and below the Landau damping, to predict and understand graphene plasmon physics.

Optimizing indoor illumination quality and energy efficiency using a spectrally tunable lighting system to augment natural daylight.

PubMed

Hertog, W; Llenas, A; Carreras, J

2015-11-30

This article demonstrates the benefits of complementing a daylight-lit environment with a spectrally tunable illumination system. The spectral components of daylight present in the room are measured by a low-cost miniature spectrophotometer and processed through a number of optimization algorithms, carefully trading color fidelity for energy efficiency. Spectrally-tunable luminaires provide only those wavelengths that ensure that either the final illumination spectrum inside the room is kept constant or carefully follows the dynamic spectral pattern of natural daylight. Analyzing the measured data proves that such a hybrid illumination system brings both unprecendented illumination quality and significant energy savings.

Ion irradiation synthesis of Ag-Au bimetallic nanospheroids in SiO2 glass substrate with tunable surface plasmon resonance frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Xuan; Shibayama, Tamaki; Yu, Ruixuan; Takayanagi, Shinya; Watanabe, Seiichi

2013-08-01

Ag-Au bimetallic nanospheroids with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) were synthesized by 100 keV Ar-ion irradiation of 30 nm Ag-Au bimetallic films deposited on SiO2 glass substrates. A shift of the LSPR peaks toward shorter wavelengths was observed up to an irradiation fluence of 1.0 × 1017 cm-2, and then shifted toward the longer wavelength because of the increase of fragment volume under ion irradiation. Further control of LSPR frequency over a wider range was realized by modifying the chemical components. The resulting LSPR frequencies lie between that of the pure components, and an approximate linear shift of the LSPR toward the longer wavelength with the Au concentration was achieved, which is in good agreement with the theoretical calculations based on Gans theory. In addition, the surface morphology and compositions were examined with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer, and microstructural characterizations were performed using a transmission electron microscope. The formation of isolated photosensitive Ag-Au nanospheroids with a FCC structure partially embedded in the SiO2 substrate was confirmed, which has a potential application in solid-state devices.

Spectrally tunable, temporally shaped parametric front end to seed high-energy Nd:glass laser systems

DOE PAGES

Dorrer, C.; Consentino, A.; Cuffney, R.; ...

2017-10-18

Here, we describe a parametric-amplification–based front end for seeding high-energy Nd:glass laser systems. The front end delivers up to 200 mJ by parametric amplification in 2.5-ns flat-in-time pulses tunable over more than 15 nm. Spectral tunability over a range larger than what is typically achieved by laser media at similar energy levels is implemented to investigate cross-beam energy transfer in multibeam target experiments. The front-end operation is simulated to explain the amplified signal’s sensitivity to the input pump and signal. A large variety of amplified waveforms are generated by closed-loop pulse shaping. Various properties and limitations of this front endmore » are discussed.« less

Spectrally tunable, temporally shaped parametric front end to seed high-energy Nd:glass laser systems

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

Dorrer, C.; Consentino, A.; Cuffney, R.

Here, we describe a parametric-amplification–based front end for seeding high-energy Nd:glass laser systems. The front end delivers up to 200 mJ by parametric amplification in 2.5-ns flat-in-time pulses tunable over more than 15 nm. Spectral tunability over a range larger than what is typically achieved by laser media at similar energy levels is implemented to investigate cross-beam energy transfer in multibeam target experiments. The front-end operation is simulated to explain the amplified signal’s sensitivity to the input pump and signal. A large variety of amplified waveforms are generated by closed-loop pulse shaping. Various properties and limitations of this front endmore » are discussed.« less

Polarization-independent actively tunable colour generation on imprinted plasmonic surfaces

PubMed Central

Franklin, Daniel; Chen, Yuan; Vazquez-Guardado, Abraham; Modak, Sushrut; Boroumand, Javaneh; Xu, Daming; Wu, Shin-Tson; Chanda, Debashis

2015-01-01

Structural colour arising from nanostructured metallic surfaces offers many benefits compared to conventional pigmentation based display technologies, such as increased resolution and scalability of their optical response with structure dimensions. However, once these structures are fabricated their optical characteristics remain static, limiting their potential application. Here, by using a specially designed nanostructured plasmonic surface in conjunction with high birefringence liquid crystals, we demonstrate a tunable polarization-independent reflective surface where the colour of the surface is changed as a function of applied voltage. A large range of colour tunability is achieved over previous reports by utilizing an engineered surface which allows full liquid crystal reorientation while maximizing the overlap between plasmonic fields and liquid crystal. In combination with imprinted structures of varying periods, a full range of colours spanning the entire visible spectrum is achieved, paving the way towards dynamic pixels for reflective displays. PMID:26066375

Superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated by femtosecond laser with tunable water adhesion: from lotus leaf to rose petal.

PubMed

Long, Jiangyou; Fan, Peixun; Gong, Dingwei; Jiang, Dafa; Zhang, Hongjun; Li, Lin; Zhong, Minlin

2015-05-13

Superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable water adhesion have attracted much interest in fundamental research and practical applications. In this paper, we used a simple method to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable water adhesion. Periodic microstructures with different topographies were fabricated on copper surface via femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation. The topography of these microstructures can be controlled by simply changing the scanning speed of the laser beam. After surface chemical modification, these as-prepared surfaces showed superhydrophobicity combined with different adhesion to water. Surfaces with deep microstructures showed self-cleaning properties with extremely low water adhesion, and the water adhesion increased when the surface microstructures became flat. The changes in surface water adhesion are attributed to the transition from Cassie state to Wenzel state. We also demonstrated that these superhydrophobic surfaces with different adhesion can be used for transferring small water droplets without any loss. We demonstrate that our approach provides a novel but simple way to tune the surface adhesion of superhydrophobic metallic surfaces for good potential applications in related areas.

Graphene surface emitting terahertz laser: Diffusion pumping concept

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

Davoyan, Arthur R., E-mail: davoyan@seas.upenn.edu; Morozov, Mikhail Yu.; Popov, Vyacheslav V.

2013-12-16

We suggest a concept of a tunable graphene-based terahertz (THz) surface emitting laser with diffusion pumping. We employ significant difference in the electronic energy gap of graphene and a typical wide-gap semiconductor, and demonstrate that carriers generated in the semiconductor can be efficiently captured by graphene resulting in population inversion and corresponding THz lasing from graphene. We develop design principles for such a laser and estimate its performance. We predict up to 50 W/cm{sup 2} terahertz power output for 100 kW/cm{sup 2} pump power at frequency around 10 THz at room temperature.

Coupling Solar Energy into Reactions: Materials Design for Surface Plasmon-Mediated Catalysis.

PubMed

Long, Ran; Li, Yu; Song, Li; Xiong, Yujie

2015-08-26

Enabled by surface plasmons, noble metal nanostructures can interact with and harvest incident light. As such, they may serve as unique media to generate heat, supply energetic electrons, and provide strong local electromagnetic fields for chemical reactions through different mechanisms. This solar-to-chemical pathway provides a new approach to solar energy utilization, alternative to conventional semiconductor-based photocatalysis. To provide readers with a clear picture of this newly recognized process, this review presents coupling solar energy into chemical reactions through plasmonic nanostructures. It starts with a brief introduction of surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures, followed by a demonstration of tuning plasmonic features by tailoring their physical parameters. Owing to their tunable plasmonic properties, metallic materials offer a platform to trigger and drive chemical reactions at the nanoscale, as systematically overviewed in this article. The design rules for plasmonic materials for catalytic applications are further outlined based on existing examples. At the end of this article, the challenges and opportunities for further development of plasmonic-mediated catalysis toward energy and environmental applications are discussed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Correlation between tunability and anisotropy in magnetoelectric voltage tunable inductor (VTI).

PubMed

Yan, Yongke; Geng, Liwei D; Zhang, Lujie; Gao, Xiangyu; Gollapudi, Sreenivasulu; Song, Hyun-Cheol; Dong, Shuxiang; Sanghadasa, Mohan; Ngo, Khai; Wang, Yu U; Priya, Shashank

2017-11-22

Electric field modulation of magnetic properties via magnetoelectric coupling in composite materials is of fundamental and technological importance for realizing tunable energy efficient electronics. Here we provide foundational analysis on magnetoelectric voltage tunable inductor (VTI) that exhibits extremely large inductance tunability of up to 1150% under moderate electric fields. This field dependence of inductance arises from the change of permeability, which correlates with the stress dependence of magnetic anisotropy. Through combination of analytical models that were validated by experimental results, comprehensive understanding of various anisotropies on the tunability of VTI is provided. Results indicate that inclusion of magnetic materials with low magnetocrystalline anisotropy is one of the most effective ways to achieve high VTI tunability. This study opens pathway towards design of tunable circuit components that exhibit field-dependent electronic behavior.

Polarization-maintaining, high-energy, wavelength-tunable, Er-doped ultrashort pulse fiber laser using carbon-nanotube polyimide film.

PubMed

Senoo, Y; Nishizawa, N; Sakakibara, Y; Sumimura, K; Itoga, E; Kataura, H; Itoh, K

2009-10-26

A high-energy, wavelength-tunable, all-polarization-maintaining Er-doped ultrashort fiber laser was demonstrated using a polyimide film dispersed with single-wall carbon nanotubes. A variable output coupler and wavelength filter were used in the cavity configuration, and high-power operation was demonstrated. The maximum average power was 12.6 mW and pulse energy was 585 pJ for stable single-pulse operation with an output coupling ratio as high as 98.3%. Wide wavelength-tunable operation at 1532-1562 nm was also demonstrated by controlling the wavelength filter. The RF amplitude noise characteristics were examined in terms of their dependence on output coupling ratio and oscillation wavelength.

Tunable infrared source employing Raman mixing

DOEpatents

Byer, Robert L.; Herbst, Richard L.

1980-01-01

A tunable source of infrared radiation is obtained by irradiating an assemblage of Raman active gaseous atoms or molecules with a high intensity pumping beam of coherent radiation at a pump frequency .omega..sub.p to stimulate the generation of Stokes wave energy at a Stokes frequency .omega..sub.s and to stimulate the Raman resonant mode at the Raman mode frequency .omega..sub.R within the irradiated assemblage where the pump frequency .omega..sub.p minus the Stokes frequency .omega..sub.s is equal to the Raman mode frequency .omega..sub.R. The stimulated assemblage is irradiated with a tunable source of coherent radiation at a frequency .omega..sub.i to generate the output infrared radiation of the frequency .omega..sub.0 which is related to the Raman mode frequency .omega..sub.R and the input wave .omega..sub.i by the relation .omega..sub.0 =.omega..sub.i .+-..omega..sub.R. In one embodiment the interaction between the pump wave energy .omega..sub.p and the tunable input wave energy .omega..sub.i is collinear and the ratio of the phase velocity mismatch factor .DELTA.k to the electric field exponential gain coefficient T is within the range of 0.1 to 5. In another embodiment the pump wave energy .omega..sub.p and the tunable input wave energy .omega..sub.i have velocity vectors k.sub.p and k.sub.i which cross at an angle to each other to compensate for phase velocity mismatches in the medium. In another embodiment, the Stokes wave energy .omega..sub.s is generated by pump energy .omega..sub.p in a first Raman cell and .omega..sub.s, .omega..sub.i and .omega..sub.p are combined in a second Raman mixing cell to produce the output at .omega..sub.i.

Tunable Nanowire Patterning Using Standing Surface Acoustic Waves

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuchao; Ding, Xiaoyun; Lin, Sz-Chin Steven; Yang, Shikuan; Huang, Po-Hsun; Nama, Nitesh; Zhao, Yanhui; Nawaz, Ahmad Ahsan; Guo, Feng; Wang, Wei; Gu, Yeyi; Mallouk, Thomas E.; Huang, Tony Jun

2014-01-01

Patterning of nanowires in a controllable, tunable manner is important for the fabrication of functional nanodevices. Here we present a simple approach for tunable nanowire patterning using standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW). This technique allows for the construction of large-scale nanowire arrays with well-controlled patterning geometry and spacing within 5 seconds. In this approach, SSAWs were generated by interdigital transducers (IDTs), which induced a periodic alternating current (AC) electric field on the piezoelectric substrate and consequently patterned metallic nanowires in suspension. The patterns could be deposited onto the substrate after the liquid evaporated. By controlling the distribution of the SSAW field, metallic nanowires were assembled into different patterns including parallel and perpendicular arrays. The spacing of the nanowire arrays could be tuned by controlling the frequency of the surface acoustic waves. Additionally, we observed 3D spark-shape nanowire patterns in the SSAW field. The SSAW-based nanowire-patterning technique presented here possesses several advantages over alternative patterning approaches, including high versatility, tunability, and efficiency, making it promising for device applications. PMID:23540330

Active Plasmonics: Principles, Structures, and Applications.

PubMed

Jiang, Nina; Zhuo, Xiaolu; Wang, Jianfang

2018-03-28

Active plasmonics is a burgeoning and challenging subfield of plasmonics. It exploits the active control of surface plasmon resonance. In this review, a first-ever in-depth description of the theoretical relationship between surface plasmon resonance and its affecting factors, which forms the basis for active plasmon control, will be presented. Three categories of active plasmonic structures, consisting of plasmonic structures in tunable dielectric surroundings, plasmonic structures with tunable gap distances, and self-tunable plasmonic structures, will be proposed in terms of the modulation mechanism. The recent advances and current challenges for these three categories of active plasmonic structures will be discussed in detail. The flourishing development of active plasmonic structures opens access to new application fields. A significant part of this review will be devoted to the applications of active plasmonic structures in plasmonic sensing, tunable surface-enhanced Raman scattering, active plasmonic components, and electrochromic smart windows. This review will be concluded with a section on the future challenges and prospects for active plasmonics.

Bending energy penalty enhances the adhesive strength of functional amyloid curli to surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yao; Wang, Ao; DeBenedictis, Elizabeth P.; Keten, Sinan

2017-11-01

The functional amyloid curli fiber, a major proteinaceous component of biofilm extracellular matrices, plays an important role in biofilm formation and enterobacteriaceae adhesion. Curli nanofibers exhibit exceptional underwater adhesion to various surfaces, have high rigidity and strong tensile mechanical properties, and thus hold great promise in biomaterials. The mechanisms of how curli fibers strongly attach to surfaces and detach under force remain elusive. To investigate curli fiber adhesion to surfaces, we developed a coarse-grained curli fiber model, in which the protein subunit CsgA (curli specific gene A) self-assembles into the fiber. The coarse-grained model yields physiologically relevant and tunable bending rigidity and persistence length. The force-induced desorption of a single curli fiber is examined using coarse-grained modeling and theoretical analysis. We find that the bending energy penalty arising from high persistence length enhances the resistance of the curli fiber against desorption and thus strengthens the adhesion of the curli fiber to surfaces. The CsgA-surface adhesion energy and the curli fiber bending rigidity both play crucial roles in the resistance of curli fiber against desorption from surfaces. To enable the desorption process, the applied peeling force must overcome both the interfacial adhesion energy and the energy barrier for bending the curli fiber at the peeling front. We show that the energy barrier to desorption increases with the interfacial adhesion energy, however, the bending induced failure of a single curli fiber limits the work of adhesion if the proportion of the CsgA-surface adhesion energy to the CsgA-CsgA cohesive energy becomes large. These results illustrate that the optimal adhesion performance of nanofibers is dictated by the interplay between bending, surface energy and cohesive energy. Our model provides timely insight into enterobacteriaceae adhesion mechanisms as well as future designs of engineered curli fiber based adhesives.

Surface modification of polylactic acid films by atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudryavtseva, V. L.; Zhuravlev, M. V.; Tverdokhlebov, S. I.

2017-09-01

A new approach for the modification of polylactic acid (PLA) materials using atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) is described. PLA films plasma exposure time was 20, 60, 120 s. The surface morphology and wettability of the obtained PLA films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the sitting drop method. The atmospheric pressure plasma increased the roughness and surface energy of PLA film. The wettability of PLA has been improved with the application of an atmospheric plasma surface treatment. It was shown that it is possible to obtain PLA films with various surface relief and tunable wettability. Additionally, we demonstrated that the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma for surface activation allows for the immobilization of bioactive compounds like hyaluronic acid (HA) on the surface of obtained films. It was shown that composite PLA-HA films have an increased long-term hydrophilicity of the films surface.

Tunable metasurface with two non-coplanar and inter-perpendicular graphene nanoribbon arrays for the coupling between localized and delocalized surface plasmon polaritons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Ze Tao; Ni, Feng Chao; Ma, Qi Chang; Tao, Jin; Li, Jian; Meng, Hongyun; Huang, Xu Guang

2018-07-01

Graphene metasurface has attracted a lot of attentions due to the unique tunability for exotic electromagnetic properties. In this work, we propose and numerically investigate a tunable metasurface with two non-coplanar and inter-perpendicular graphene nanoribbon arrays. The variation of transmission at different substrate thickness and the coupled mode are analyzed. It is shown that the Rabi-like splitting can be achieved by the coupling between localized and delocalized graphene surface plasmon polaritons. Tunable coupling strength and positions with different gate-voltages have been discussed. The effect of relaxation time and oblique incidences to resonant responses are also investigated. Additionally, we find an optical analogue of a spring, where the spectral dip vibrates around its equilibrium position at a certain wavelength. Our study suggests that the proposed structure is potentially attractive for realization of tunable double-channel filter, optical switch, and variable optical attenuator based on the graphene metasurface.

Brightly Luminescent and Color-Tunable Colloidal CH3NH3PbX3 (X = Br, I, Cl) Quantum Dots: Potential Alternatives for Display Technology.

PubMed

Zhang, Feng; Zhong, Haizheng; Chen, Cheng; Wu, Xian-gang; Hu, Xiangmin; Huang, Hailong; Han, Junbo; Zou, Bingsuo; Dong, Yuping

2015-04-28

Organometal halide perovskites are inexpensive materials with desirable characteristics of color-tunable and narrow-band emissions for lighting and display technology, but they suffer from low photoluminescence quantum yields at low excitation fluencies. Here we developed a ligand-assisted reprecipitation strategy to fabricate brightly luminescent and color-tunable colloidal CH3NH3PbX3 (X = Br, I, Cl) quantum dots with absolute quantum yield up to 70% at room temperature and low excitation fluencies. To illustrate the photoluminescence enhancements in these quantum dots, we conducted comprehensive composition and surface characterizations and determined the time- and temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra. Comparisons between small-sized CH3NH3PbBr3 quantum dots (average diameter 3.3 nm) and corresponding micrometer-sized bulk particles (2-8 μm) suggest that the intense increased photoluminescence quantum yield originates from the increase of exciton binding energy due to size reduction as well as proper chemical passivations of the Br-rich surface. We further demonstrated wide-color gamut white-light-emitting diodes using green emissive CH3NH3PbBr3 quantum dots and red emissive K2SiF6:Mn(4+) as color converters, providing enhanced color quality for display technology. Moreover, colloidal CH3NH3PbX3 quantum dots are expected to exhibit interesting nanoscale excitonic properties and also have other potential applications in lasers, electroluminescence devices, and optical sensors.

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.

Final Report: DOE Award Number: DE-SC0006398, University of CA, San Diego

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

Cha, Jennifer

The focus of the proposed research is to direct the assembly of single or binary nanoparticles into meso- or macroscale three-dimensional crystals of any desired configuration and crystallographic orientation without using prohibitively expensive lithographic processes. The epitaxial nucleation of defect-free, surface-bound bulk single crystals will revolutionize technologies for energy to generate new types of solar cells that yield maximum conversion efficiencies. It has been proposed that having a nanostructured bulk hetero-interface will enable efficient charge-carrier separations, similar to organic based heterojunction cells but with potential improvements, including thermal and long-term stability, tunability of energy levels, large adsorption coefficients and carriermore » multiplication. However, engineering such devices requires nanoscale control and ordering in both 2- and 3-dimensions over macroscopic areas and this has yet to be achieved. In Nature, bulk organic and inorganic materials are arranged into precise and ordered programmed assemblies through the sequestration of raw materials into confined spaces and association through highly specific non-covalent interactions between biomolecules. Using similar strategies, the proposed research will focus on confining metal and semiconductor nanocrystals to pre-determined surface patterns and controlling their arrangement through tunable, orthogonal biomolecular binding. Once a perfect two-dimensional seed layer has been constructed, successive layers of single nanocrystals will be nucleated epitaxially with long-range order and tunable crystallographic orientations. The proposed research exploits the ability of biomolecules to bind specific targets in a tunable, orthogonal, multivalent, and reversible manner to the arrangements of DNA-nanoparticle conjugates on chemically defined surfaces. Through careful balance of the attractive and repulsive forces between the particles, the array, and the outside surface, it is envisioned that single or mixed nanoparticles can be packed to adopt uniform crystal orientation in two and three dimensions from simple mixing and annealing of biomolecule-nanoparticle conjugates with biomolecule-stamped surfaces. To control the crystallographic alignment of each particle with its neighbors, the nanoparticles will be assembled using a mixture of non-covalent biomolecular interactions. To create solar cells in which layers of donor and acceptor nanocrystals that are not only oriented normal to the top and bottom electrodes but are also arranged in a checkerboard pattern, multicomponent nanocrystals (e.g. CdSe, CdTe) will be conjugated with biochemical linkers such that only interactions between the CdTe and CdSe promote particle packing within the array. The proposed research will: (1) elucidate the role of single and binary cooperative particle-DNA interactions in influencing nanoparticle crystallographic orientation in two and three dimensions; (2) understand how confinement of nanoparticles on patterned arrays of biomolecules and modification of the surrounding substrate can nucleate long-range order over macroscopic areas via predefined grain boundaries; and (3) synthesize and characterize DNA conjugated semiconductor nanocrystals and assemble them into 2- and 3-D binary superlattice arrays for photovoltaics.« less

Wrinkled silica/titania nanoparticles with tunable interwrinkle distances for efficient utilization of photons in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Kang, Jin Soo; Lim, Joohyun; Rho, Won-Yeop; Kim, Jin; Moon, Doo-Sik; Jeong, Juwon; Jung, Dongwook; Choi, Jung-Woo; Lee, Jin-Kyu; Sung, Yung-Eun

2016-08-04

Efficient light harvesting is essential for the realization of high energy conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). State-of-the-art mesoporous TiO2 photoanodes fall short for collection of long-wavelength visible light photons, and thus there have been efforts on introduction of scattering nanoparticles. Herein, we report the synthesis of wrinkled silica/titania nanoparticles with tunable interwrinkle distances as scattering materials for enhanced light harvesting in DSCs. These particles with more than 20 times larger specific surface area (>400 m(2)/g) compared to the spherical scattering particles (<20 m(2)/g) of the similar sizes gave rise to the dye-loading amounts, causing significant improvements in photocurrent density and efficiency. Moreover, dependence of spectral scattering properties of wrinkled particles on interwrinkle distances, which was originated from difference in overall refractive indices, was observed.

Tunable localized surface plasmon resonances in one-dimensional h-BN/graphene/h-BN quantum-well structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaibiao, Zhang; Hong, Zhang; Xinlu, Cheng

2016-03-01

The graphene/hexagonal boron-nitride (h-BN) hybrid structure has emerged to extend the performance of graphene-based devices. Here, we investigate the tunable plasmon in one-dimensional h-BN/graphene/h-BN quantum-well structures. The analysis of optical response and field enhancement demonstrates that these systems exhibit a distinct quantum confinement effect for the collective oscillations. The intensity and frequency of the plasmon can be controlled by the barrier width and electrical doping. Moreover, the electron doping and the hole doping lead to very different results due to the asymmetric energy band. This graphene/h-BN hybrid structure may pave the way for future optoelectronic devices. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11474207 and 11374217) and the Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, China (Grant No. 2014PY07).

One-dimensional carrier confinement in “Giant” CdS/CdSe excitonic nanoshells

DOE PAGES

Razgoniaeva, Natalia; Moroz, Pavel; Yang, Mingrui; ...

2017-05-23

Here, the emerging generation of quantum dot optoelectronic devices offers an appealing prospect of a size-tunable band gap. The confinement-enabled control over electronic properties, however, requires nanoparticles to be sufficiently small, which leads to a large area of interparticle boundaries in a film. Such interfaces lead to a high density of surface traps which ultimately increase the electrical resistance of a solid. To address this issue, we have developed an inverse energy-gradient core/shell architecture supporting the quantum confinement in nanoparticles larger than the exciton Bohr radius. The assembly of such nanostructures exhibits a relatively low surface-to-volume ratio, which was manifestedmore » in this work through the enhanced conductance of solution-processed films. The reported core/shell geometry was realized by growing a narrow gap semiconductor layer (CdSe) on the surface of a wide-gap core material (CdS) promoting the localization of excitons in the shell domain, as was confirmed by ultrafast transient absorption and emission lifetime measurements. The band gap emission of fabricated nanoshells, ranging from 15 to 30 nm in diameter, has revealed a characteristic size-dependent behavior tunable via the shell thickness with associated quantum yields in the 4.4–16.0% range.« less

Ion irradiation synthesis of Ag–Au bimetallic nanospheroids in SiO{sub 2} glass substrate with tunable surface plasmon resonance frequency

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

Meng, Xuan; Yu, Ruixuan; Takayanagi, Shinya

2013-08-07

Ag–Au bimetallic nanospheroids with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) were synthesized by 100 keV Ar–ion irradiation of 30 nm Ag–Au bimetallic films deposited on SiO{sub 2} glass substrates. A shift of the LSPR peaks toward shorter wavelengths was observed up to an irradiation fluence of 1.0 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −2}, and then shifted toward the longer wavelength because of the increase of fragment volume under ion irradiation. Further control of LSPR frequency over a wider range was realized by modifying the chemical components. The resulting LSPR frequencies lie between that of the pure components, and an approximate linearmore » shift of the LSPR toward the longer wavelength with the Au concentration was achieved, which is in good agreement with the theoretical calculations based on Gans theory. In addition, the surface morphology and compositions were examined with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer, and microstructural characterizations were performed using a transmission electron microscope. The formation of isolated photosensitive Ag–Au nanospheroids with a FCC structure partially embedded in the SiO{sub 2} substrate was confirmed, which has a potential application in solid-state devices.« less

One-dimensional carrier confinement in “Giant” CdS/CdSe excitonic nanoshells

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

Razgoniaeva, Natalia; Moroz, Pavel; Yang, Mingrui

Here, the emerging generation of quantum dot optoelectronic devices offers an appealing prospect of a size-tunable band gap. The confinement-enabled control over electronic properties, however, requires nanoparticles to be sufficiently small, which leads to a large area of interparticle boundaries in a film. Such interfaces lead to a high density of surface traps which ultimately increase the electrical resistance of a solid. To address this issue, we have developed an inverse energy-gradient core/shell architecture supporting the quantum confinement in nanoparticles larger than the exciton Bohr radius. The assembly of such nanostructures exhibits a relatively low surface-to-volume ratio, which was manifestedmore » in this work through the enhanced conductance of solution-processed films. The reported core/shell geometry was realized by growing a narrow gap semiconductor layer (CdSe) on the surface of a wide-gap core material (CdS) promoting the localization of excitons in the shell domain, as was confirmed by ultrafast transient absorption and emission lifetime measurements. The band gap emission of fabricated nanoshells, ranging from 15 to 30 nm in diameter, has revealed a characteristic size-dependent behavior tunable via the shell thickness with associated quantum yields in the 4.4–16.0% range.« less

Development of thin-film tunable band-pass filters based hyper-spectral imaging system applied for both surface enhanced Raman scattering and plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iga, Mitsuhiro; Kakuryu, Nobuyuki; Tanaami, Takeo; Sajiki, Jiro; Isozaki, Katsumi; Itoh, Tamitake

2012-10-01

We describe the development of a hyper-spectral imaging (HSI) system composed of thin-film tunable band-pass filters (TF-TBPFs) and its application to inhomogeneous sample surfaces. Compared with existing HSI systems, the system has a simpler optical arrangement and has an optical transmittance of up to 80% owing to polarization independence. The HSI system exhibits a constant spectral resolution over a spectral window of 80 nm (530 to 610 nm) and tunable spectral resolution from 1.5 to 3.0 nm, and requires only 5.4 s per measurement. Plasmon resonance and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from inhomogeneous surfaces dispersed with Ag nanoparticles (NP) have been measured with the HSI system. The measurement of multiple Ag NPs is consistent with conventional isolated NP measurements as explained by the electromagnetic mechanism of SERS, demonstrating the validity of the HSI system.

Liquid-assisted tunable metasurface for simultaneous manipulation of surface elastic and acoustic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Si-Min; Ma, Tian-Xue; Chen, A.-Li; Wang, Yue-Sheng

2018-03-01

A tunable and multi-functional one-dimensional metasurface, which is formed by engraving periodic semi-ellipse grooves on the surface of an aluminum half-space, is proposed in this paper. One characteristic of the metasurface is the manipulation of multi-physical fields, i.e. it could be utilized to manipulate surface elastic and acoustic waves simultaneously. The dispersion curves of the elastic and acoustic waves can be effectively tuned by adding liquids into the grooves. Based on the tunability different applications can be realized by adding different volumes of different liquids into the grooves. As an example, simultaneous rainbow trapping of the surface elastic and acoustic waves is demonstrated in the metasurface. Moreover, a resonant cavity where the elastic and acoustic waves are highly confined is reported. The proposed metasurface paves the way to the design of multi-functional devices for simultaneous control of elastic and acoustic waves.

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.

Heterogeneous electrochemical CO2 reduction using nonmetallic carbon-based catalysts: current status and future challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Tao; Fan, Qun; Tao, Hengcong; Han, Zishan; Jia, Mingwen; Gao, Yunnan; Ma, Wangjing; Sun, Zhenyu

2017-11-01

Electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) offers an important pathway for renewable energy storage and fuels production. It still remains a challenge in designing highly selective, energy-efficient, robust, and cost-effective electrocatalysts to facilitate this kinetically slow process. Metal-free carbon-based materials have features of low cost, good electrical conductivity, renewability, diverse structure, and tunability in surface chemistry. In particular, surface functionalization of carbon materials, for example by doping with heteroatoms, enables access to unique active site architectures for CO2 adsorption and activation, leading to interesting catalytic performances in ECR. We aim to provide a comprehensive review of this category of metal-free catalysts for ECR, providing discussions and/or comparisons among different nonmetallic catalysts, and also possible origin of catalytic activity. Fundamentals and some future challenges are also described.

Applications of tunable high energy/pressure pulsed lasers to atmospheric transmission and remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. V.; Seals, R. K.

1974-01-01

Atmospheric transmission of high energy C12 O2(16) lasers were improved by pulsed high pressure operation which, due to pressure broadening of laser lines, permits tuning the laser 'off' atmospheric C12 O2(16) absorption lines. Pronounced improvement is shown for horizontal transmission at altitudes above several kilometers, and for vertical transmission through the entire atmosphere. The atmospheric transmission of tuned C12 O2(16) lasers compares favorably with C12 O2(18) isotope lasers and CO lasers. The advantages of tunable, high energy, high pressure pulsed lasers over tunable diode lasers and waveguide lasers, in combining high energies with a large tuning range, are evaluated for certain applications to remote sensing of atmospheric constituents and pollutants. Pulsed operation considerably increases the signal to noise ratio without seriously affecting the high spectral resolution of signal detection obtained with laser heterodyning.

Widely tunable telecom MEMS-VCSEL for terahertz photomixing.

PubMed

Haidar, Mohammad Tanvir; Preu, Sascha; Paul, Sujoy; Gierl, Christian; Cesar, Julijan; Emsia, Ali; Küppers, Franko

2015-10-01

We report frequency-tunable terahertz (THz) generation with a photomixer driven by an ultra-broadband tunable micro-electro-mechanical system vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (MEMS-VCSEL) and a fixed-wavelength VCSEL, as well as a tunable MEMS-VCSEL mixed with a distributed feedback (DFB) diode. A total frequency span of 3.4 THz is covered in direct detection mode and 3.23 THz in the homodyne mode. The tuning range is solely limited by the dynamic range of the photomixers and the Schottky diode/photoconductor used in the experiment.

In situ spectroscopy of ligand exchange reactions at the surface of colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinkel, Rebecca; Peukert, Wolfgang; Braunschweig, Björn

2017-04-01

Gold and silver nanoparticles with their tunable optical and electronic properties are of great interest for a wide range of applications. Often the ligands at the surface of the nanoparticles have to be exchanged in a second step after particle formation in order to obtain a desired surface functionalization. For many techniques, this process is not accessible in situ. In this review, we present second-harmonic scattering (SHS) as an inherently surface sensitive and label-free optical technique to probe the ligand exchange at the surface of colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles in situ and in real time. First, a brief introduction to SHS and basic features of the SHS of nanoparticles are given. After that, we demonstrate how the SHS intensity decrease can be correlated to the thiol coverage which allows for the determination of the Gibbs free energy of adsorption and the surface coverage.

Dynamically tunable interface states in 1D graphene-embedded photonic crystal heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhao; Li, Shuaifeng; Liu, Xin; Zhao, Degang; Ye, Lei; Zhu, Xuefeng; Zang, Jianfeng

2018-03-01

Optical interface states exhibit promising applications in nonlinear photonics, low-threshold lasing, and surface-wave assisted sensing. However, the further application of interface states in configurable optics is hindered by their limited tunability. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to generate dynamically tunable and angle-resolved interface states using graphene-embedded photonic crystal (GPC) heterostructure device. By combining the GPC structure design with in situ electric doping of graphene, a continuously tunable interface state can be obtained and its tuning range is as wide as the full bandgap. Moreover, the exhibited tunable interface states offer a possibility to study the correspondence between space and time characteristics of light, which is beyond normal incident conditions. Our strategy provides a new way to design configurable devices with tunable optical states for various advanced optical applications such as beam splitter and dynamically tunable laser.

Highly tunable colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets through variable cation, metal, and halide composition

DOE PAGES

Weidman, Mark C.; Seitz, Michael; Stranks, Samuel D.; ...

2016-07-29

Here, colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets are a promising class of semiconductor nanomaterials-exhibiting bright luminescence, tunable and spectrally narrow absorption and emission features, strongly confined excitonic states, and facile colloidal synthesis. Here, we demonstrate the high degree of spectral tunability achievable through variation of the cation, metal, and halide composition as well as nanoplatelet thickness. We synthesize nanoplatelets of the form L 2[ABX 3] n-1BX 4, where L is an organic ligand (octylammonium, butylammonium), A is a monovalent metal or organic molecular cation (cesium, methylammonium, formamidinium), B is a divalent metal cation (lead, tin), X is a halide anion (chloride, bromide, iodide),more » and n-1 is the number of unit cells in thickness. We show that variation of n, B, and X leads to large changes in the absorption and emission energy, while variation of the A cation leads to only subtle changes but can significantly impact the nanoplatelet stability and photoluminescence quantum yield (with values over 20%). Furthermore, mixed halide nanoplatelets exhibit continuous spectral tunability over a 1.5 eV spectral range, from 2.2 to 3.7 eV. The nanoplatelets have relatively large lateral dimensions (100 nm to 1 μm), which promote self-assembly into stacked superlattice structures-the periodicity of which can be adjusted based on the nanoplatelet surface ligand length. These results demonstrate the versatility of colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets as a material platform, with tunability extending from the deep-UV, across the visible, into the near-IR. In particular, the tin-containing nanoplatelets represent a significant addition to the small but increasingly important family of lead- and cadmium-free colloidal semiconductors.« less

GATEWAY Demonstrations: Tuning Hospital Lighting: Evaluating Tunable LED Lighting at the Swedish Hospital Behavioral Health Unit in Seattle

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

Wilkerson, Andrea; Davis, Robert G.; Clark, Edward

The GATEWAY program evaluated a tunable LED lighting system installed in the new Swedish Medical Behavioral Health Unit in Seattle that incorporates color-tunable luminaires in common areas, and uses advanced controls for dimming and color tuning, with the goal of providing a better environment for staff and patients. The report reviews the design of the tunable lighting system, summarizes two sets of measurements, and discusses the circadian, energy, and commissioning implications as well as lessons learned from the project.

GATEWAY Report Brief: Evaluating Tunable LED Lighting in the Swedish Medical Behavioral Health Unit

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

None, None

Summary of a GATEWAY report evaluation of a tunable LED lighting system installed in the new Swedish Medical Behavioral Health Unit in Seattle that incorporates color-tunable luminaires in common areas, and uses advanced controls for dimming and color tuning, with the goal of providing a better environment for staff and patients. The report reviews the design of the tunable lighting system, summarizes two sets of measurements, and discusses the circadian, energy, and commissioning implications as well as lessons learned from the project.

High-speed wavelength switching of tunable MEMS vertical cavity surface emitting laser by ringing suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, Shunya; Nishimura, Shun; Nakahama, Masanori; Matsutani, Akihiro; Sakaguchi, Takahiro; Koyama, Fumio

2018-04-01

For use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) with high-speed wavelength routing functions, the fast wavelength switching of tunable lasers is a key function. A tunable MEMS vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is a good candidate as a light source for this purpose. The cantilever in MEMS VCSELs has a high mechanical resonance frequency thanks to its small size, but the switching time is limited by the ringing of the cantilever structure. In this paper, we analyzed the mechanical behavior of a cantilever MEMS mirror and demonstrated ringing-free operation with an engineered voltage signal. The applied voltage waveform was optimized in a two-step format and we experimentally obtained ringing free wavelength switching. We measured the transient response of the wavelength by inserting a tunable filter, exhibiting the settling time of less than 2.5 µs, which corresponds to a half period of the cantilever resonance frequency.

A spectrally tunable all-graphene-based flexible field-effect light-emitting device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaomu; Tian, He; Mohammad, Mohammad Ali; Li, Cheng; Wu, Can; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling

2015-07-01

The continuous tuning of the emission spectrum of a single light-emitting diode (LED) by an external electrical bias is of great technological significance as a crucial property in high-quality displays, yet this capability has not been demonstrated in existing LEDs. Graphene, a tunable optical platform, is a promising medium to achieve this goal. Here we demonstrate a bright spectrally tunable electroluminescence from blue (~450 nm) to red (~750 nm) at the graphene oxide/reduced-graphene oxide interface. We explain the electroluminescence results from the recombination of Poole-Frenkel emission ionized electrons at the localized energy levels arising from semi-reduced graphene oxide, and holes from the top of the π band. Tuning of the emission wavelength is achieved by gate modulation of the participating localized energy levels. Our demonstration of current-driven tunable LEDs not only represents a method for emission wavelength tuning but also may find applications in high-quality displays.

A new series of two-dimensional silicon crystals with versatile electronic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chae, Kisung; Kim, Duck Young; Son, Young-Woo

2018-04-01

Silicon (Si) is one of the most extensively studied materials owing to its significance to semiconductor science and technology. While efforts to find a new three-dimensional (3D) Si crystal with unusual properties have made some progress, its two-dimensional (2D) phases have not yet been explored as much. Here, based on a newly developed systematic ab initio materials searching strategy, we report a series of novel 2D Si crystals with unprecedented structural and electronic properties. The new structures exhibit perfectly planar outermost surface layers of a distorted hexagonal network with their thicknesses varying with the atomic arrangement inside. Dramatic changes in electronic properties ranging from semimetal to semiconducting with indirect energy gaps and even to one with direct energy gaps are realized by varying thickness as well as by surface oxidation. Our predicted 2D Si crystals with flat surfaces and tunable electronic properties will shed light on the development of silicon-based 2D electronics technology.

Controllable superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with tunable adhesion fabricated by femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuxin; Wang, Cong; Dong, Xinran; Yin, Kai; Zhang, Fan; Xie, Zheng; Chu, Dongkai; Duan, Ji'an

2018-06-01

In this study, a facile and detailed strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with controllable adhesion by femtosecond laser ablation is presented. The influences of key femtosecond laser processing parameters including the scanning speed, laser power and interval on the wetting properties of the laser-ablated surfaces are investigated. It is demonstrated that the adhesion between water and superhydrophobic surface can be effectively tuned from extremely low adhesion to high adhesion by adjusting laser processing parameters. At the same time, the mechanism is discussed for the changes of the wetting behaviors of the laser-ablated surfaces. These superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable adhesion have many potential applications, such as self-cleaning surface, oil-water separation, anti-icing surface and liquid transportation.

Designed Long-Lived Emission from CdSe Quantum Dots through Reversible Electronic Energy Transfer with a Surface-Bound Chromophore.

PubMed

La Rosa, Marcello; Denisov, Sergey A; Jonusauskas, Gediminas; McClenaghan, Nathan D; Credi, Alberto

2018-03-12

The size-tunable emission of luminescent quantum dots (QDs) makes them highly interesting for applications that range from bioimaging to optoelectronics. For the same applications, engineering their luminescence lifetime, in particular, making it longer, would be as important; however, no rational approach to reach this goal is available to date. We describe a strategy to prolong the emission lifetime of QDs through electronic energy shuttling to the triplet excited state of a surface-bound molecular chromophore. To implement this idea, we made CdSe QDs of different sizes and carried out self-assembly with a pyrene derivative. We observed that the conjugates exhibit delayed luminescence, with emission decays that are prolonged by more than 3 orders of magnitude (lifetimes up to 330 μs) compared to the parent CdSe QDs. The mechanism invokes unprecedented reversible quantum dot to organic chromophore electronic energy transfer. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Energy scaling and extended tunability of terahertz wave parametric oscillator with MgO-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystal.

PubMed

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

2017-04-17

A widely tunable, high-energy terahertz wave parametric oscillator based on 1 mol. % MgO-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystal has been demonstrated with 1064 nm nanosecond pulsed laser pumping. The tunable range of 1.16 to 4.64 THz was achieved. The maximum THz wave output energy of 17.49 μJ was obtained at 1.88 THz under the pump energy of 165 mJ/pulse, corresponding to the THz wave conversion efficiency of 1.06 × 10^-4 and the photon conversion efficiency of 1.59%, respectively. Moreover, under the same experimental conditions, the THz output energy of TPO with MgO:SLN crystal was about 2.75 times larger than that obtained from the MgO:CLN TPO at 1.60 THz. Based on the theoretical analysis, the THz energy enhancement mechanism in the MgO:SLN TPO was clarified to originate from its larger Raman scattering cross section and smaller absorption coefficient.

Facile synthesis of cellulose-based carbon with tunable N content for potential supercapacitor application.

PubMed

Chen, Zehong; Peng, Xinwen; Zhang, Xiaoting; Jing, Shuangshuang; Zhong, Linxin; Sun, Runcang

2017-08-15

Producing hierarchical porous N-doped carbon from renewable biomass is an essential and sustainable way for future electrochemical energy storage. Herein we cost-efficiently synthesized N-doped porous carbon from renewable cellulose by using urea as a low-cost N source, without any activation process. The as-prepared N-doped porous carbon (N-doped PC) had a hierarchical porous structure with abundant macropores, mesopores and micropores. The doping N resulted in more disordered structure, and the doping N content in N-doped PC could be easily tunable (0.68-7.64%). The doping N functionalities could significantly improve the supercapacitance of porous carbon, and even a little amount of doping N (e.g. 0.68%) could remarkably improve the supercapacitance. The as-prepared N-doped PC with a specific surface area of 471.7m 2 g -1 exhibited a high specific capacitance of 193Fg -1 and a better rate capability, as well as an outstanding cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 107% after 5000 cycles. Moreover, the N-doped porous carbon had a high energy density of 17.1Whkg -1 at a power density of 400Wkg -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities

PubMed Central

Jung, Han Sae; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Wong, Dillon; Germany, Chad; Kahn, Salman; Kim, Youngkyou; Aikawa, Andrew S.; Desai, Dhruv K.; Rodgers, Griffin F.; Bradley, Aaron J.; Velasco, Jairo; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Wang, Feng; Zettl, Alex; Crommie, Michael F.

2015-01-01

Owing to its relativistic low-energy charge carriers, the interaction between graphene and various impurities leads to a wealth of new physics and degrees of freedom to control electronic devices. In particular, the behavior of graphene’s charge carriers in response to potentials from charged Coulomb impurities is predicted to differ significantly from that of most materials. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) can provide detailed information on both the spatial and energy dependence of graphene's electronic structure in the presence of a charged impurity. The design of a hybrid impurity-graphene device, fabricated using controlled deposition of impurities onto a back-gated graphene surface, has enabled several novel methods for controllably tuning graphene’s electronic properties.1-8 Electrostatic gating enables control of the charge carrier density in graphene and the ability to reversibly tune the charge2 and/or molecular5 states of an impurity. This paper outlines the process of fabricating a gate-tunable graphene device decorated with individual Coulomb impurities for combined STM/STS studies.2-5 These studies provide valuable insights into the underlying physics, as well as signposts for designing hybrid graphene devices. PMID:26273961

Programming the Assembly of Unnatural Materials with Nucleic Acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirkin, Chad

Nature directs the assembly of enormously complex and highly functional materials through an encoded class of biomolecules, nucleic acids. The establishment of a similarly programmable code for the construction of synthetic, unnatural materials would allow researchers to impart functionality by precisely positioning all material components. Although it is exceedingly difficult to control the complex interactions between atomic and molecular species in such a manner, interactions between nanoscale components can be directed through the ligands attached to their surface. Our group has shown that nucleic acids can be used as highly programmable surface ligands to control the spacing and symmetry of nanoparticle building blocks in structurally sophisticated and functional materials. These nucleic acids function as programmable ``bonds'' between nanoparticle ``atoms,'' analogous to a nanoscale genetic code for assembling materials. The sequence and length tunability of nucleic acid bonds has allowed us to define a powerful set of design rules for the construction of nanoparticle superlattices with more than 30 unique lattice symmetries, tunable defect structures and interparticle spacings, and several well-defined crystal habits. Further, the nature of the nucleic acid bond enables an additional level of structural control: temporal regulation of dynamic material response to external biomolecular and chemical stimuli. This control allows for the reversible transformation between thermodynamic states with different crystal symmetries, particle stoichiometries, thermal stabilities, and interparticle spacings on demand. Notably, our unique genetic approach affords functional nanoparticle architectures that, among many other applications, can be used to systematically explore and manipulate optoelectronic material properties, such as tunable interparticle plasmonic interactions, microstructure-directed energy emission, and coupled plasmonic and photonic modes.

Tunable Transmission-Line Metamaterials Mimicking Electromagnetically Induced Transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, T. H.; Han, H. P.

2016-11-01

Tunable transmission-line (TL) metamaterials mimicking electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) have been studied. Firstly, two types of tunable TL EIT-like metamaterial, based on the double split-ring resonator (DSRR) and single split-ring resonator (SSRR), were fabricated and their transmission properties carefully compared. The results showed that the transmittance maximum was almost invariable with shift of the transparency window for the tunable DSRR-based TL EIT-like metamaterial, but for the tunable SSRR-based TL EIT-like metamaterial, the transmittance maximum gradually diminished with shift of the transparency window toward the center of the absorption band. Moreover, the reason for these different transmission properties was explored, revealing that the reduction of the transmittance maximum of the transparency window for the tunable SSRR-based TL EIT-like metamaterial is mainly due to energy loss caused by the resistance of the loaded varactor diodes.

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials in Biomass-Based Fuel-Fed Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

Vestergaard, Mun’delanji C.; Tamiya, Eiichi

2017-01-01

Environmental and sustainable economical concerns are generating a growing interest in biofuels predominantly produced from biomass. It would be ideal if an energy conversion device could directly extract energy from a sustainable energy resource such as biomass. Unfortunately, up to now, such a direct conversion device produces insufficient power to meet the demand of practical applications. To realize the future of biofuel-fed fuel cells as a green energy conversion device, efforts have been devoted to the development of carbon-based nanomaterials with tunable electronic and surface characteristics to act as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts and/or as supporting matrix for metal-based electrocatalysts. We present here a mini review on the recent advances in carbon-based catalysts for each type of biofuel-fed/biofuel cells that directly/indirectly extract energy from biomass resources, and discuss the challenges and perspectives in this developing field. PMID:29125564

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials in Biomass-Based Fuel-Fed Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Hoa, Le Quynh; Vestergaard, Mun'delanji C; Tamiya, Eiichi

2017-11-10

Environmental and sustainable economical concerns are generating a growing interest in biofuels predominantly produced from biomass. It would be ideal if an energy conversion device could directly extract energy from a sustainable energy resource such as biomass. Unfortunately, up to now, such a direct conversion device produces insufficient power to meet the demand of practical applications. To realize the future of biofuel-fed fuel cells as a green energy conversion device, efforts have been devoted to the development of carbon-based nanomaterials with tunable electronic and surface characteristics to act as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts and/or as supporting matrix for metal-based electrocatalysts. We present here a mini review on the recent advances in carbon-based catalysts for each type of biofuel-fed/biofuel cells that directly/indirectly extract energy from biomass resources, and discuss the challenges and perspectives in this developing field.

Carbon-based electrocatalysts for advanced energy conversion and storage

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jintao; Xia, Zhenhai; Dai, Liming

2015-01-01

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play curial roles in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Having rich multidimensional nanoarchitectures [for example, zero-dimensional (0D) fullerenes, 1D carbon nanotubes, 2D graphene, and 3D graphite] with tunable electronic and surface characteristics, various carbon nanomaterials have been demonstrated to act as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for ORR and OER in fuel cells and batteries. We present a critical review on the recent advances in carbon-based metal-free catalysts for fuel cells and metal-air batteries, and discuss the perspectives and challenges in this rapidly developing field of practical significance. PMID:26601241

Reactive Liftoff of Crystalline Cellulose Particles

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

Teixeira, Andrew R.; Krumm, Christoph; Vinter, Katherine P.

Here, the condition of heat transfer to lignocellulosic biomass particles during thermal processing at high temperature (>400 °C) dramatically alters the yield and quality of renewable energy and fuels. In this work, crystalline cellulose particles were discovered to lift off heated surfaces by high speed photography similar to the Leidenfrost effect in hot, volatile liquids. Order of magnitude variation in heat transfer rates and cellulose particle lifetimes was observed as intermediate liquid cellulose droplets transitioned from low temperature wetting (500–600 °C) to fully de-wetted, skittering droplets on polished surfaces (>700 °C). Introduction of macroporosity to the heated surface was shownmore » to completely inhibit the cellulose Leidenfrost effect, providing a tunable design parameter to control particle heat transfer rates in industrial biomass reactors.« less

Reactive Liftoff of Crystalline Cellulose Particles

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Andrew R.; Krumm, Christoph; Vinter, Katherine P.; Paulsen, Alex D.; Zhu, Cheng; Maduskar, Saurabh; Joseph, Kristeen E.; Greco, Katharine; Stelatto, Michael; Davis, Eric; Vincent, Brendon; Hermann, Richard; Suszynski, Wieslaw; Schmidt, Lanny D.; Fan, Wei; Rothstein, Jonathan P.; Dauenhauer, Paul J.

2015-01-01

The condition of heat transfer to lignocellulosic biomass particles during thermal processing at high temperature (>400 °C) dramatically alters the yield and quality of renewable energy and fuels. In this work, crystalline cellulose particles were discovered to lift off heated surfaces by high speed photography similar to the Leidenfrost effect in hot, volatile liquids. Order of magnitude variation in heat transfer rates and cellulose particle lifetimes was observed as intermediate liquid cellulose droplets transitioned from low temperature wetting (500–600 °C) to fully de-wetted, skittering droplets on polished surfaces (>700 °C). Introduction of macroporosity to the heated surface was shown to completely inhibit the cellulose Leidenfrost effect, providing a tunable design parameter to control particle heat transfer rates in industrial biomass reactors. PMID:26057818

Generation of tunable narrow-band surface-emitted terahertz radiation in periodically poled lithium niobate.

PubMed

Weiss, C; Torosyan, G; Avetisyan, Y; Beigang, R

2001-04-15

Generation of tunable narrow-band terahertz (THz) radiation perpendicular to the surface of periodically poled lithium niobate by optical rectification of femtosecond pulses is reported. The generated THz radiation can be tuned by use of different poling periods and different observation angles, limited only by the available bandwidth of the pump pulse. Typical bandwidths were 50-100 GHz, depending on the collection angle and the number of periods involved.

Recent Applications of 2D Inorganic Nanosheets for Emerging Energy Storage System.

PubMed

Oh, Seung Mi; Patil, Sharad B; Jin, Xiaoyan; Hwang, Seong-Ju

2018-04-03

Among many types of nanostructured inorganic materials, highly anisotropic 2D nanosheets provide unique advantages in designing and synthesizing efficient electrode and electrocatalyst materials for novel energy storage technologies. 2D inorganic nanosheets boast lots of unique characteristics such as high surface area, short ion diffusion path, tailorable compositions, and tunable electronic structures. These merits of 2D inorganic nanosheets render them promising candidate materials as electrodes for diverse secondary batteries and supercapacitors, and electrocatalysts. A wide spectrum of examples is presented for inorganic nanosheet-based electrodes and electrocatalysts. Future perspectives in research about 2D nanosheet-based functional materials are discussed to provide insight for the development of next-generation energy storage systems using 2D nanostructured materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mechanics of tunable helices and geometric frustration in biomimetic seashells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qiaohang; Chen, Zi; Li, Wei; Dai, Pinqiang; Ren, Kun; Lin, Junjie; Taber, Larry A.; Chen, Wenzhe

2014-03-01

Helical structures are ubiquitous in nature and engineering, ranging from DNA molecules to plant tendrils, from sea snail shells to nanoribbons. While the helical shapes in natural and engineered systems often exhibit nearly uniform radius and pitch, helical shell structures with changing radius and pitch, such as seashells and some plant tendrils, add to the variety of this family of aesthetic beauty. Here we develop a comprehensive theoretical framework for tunable helical morphologies, and report the first biomimetic seashell-like structure resulting from mechanics of geometric frustration. In previous studies, the total potential energy is everywhere minimized when the system achieves equilibrium. In this work, however, the local energy minimization cannot be realized because of the geometric incompatibility, and hence the whole system deforms into a shape with a global energy minimum whereby the energy in each segment may not necessarily be locally optimized. This novel approach can be applied to develop materials and devices of tunable geometries with a range of applications in nano/biotechnology.

Tunable white light of a Ce3+,Tb3+,Mn2+ triply doped Na2Ca3Si2O8 phosphor for high colour-rendering white LED applications: tunable luminescence and energy transfer.

PubMed

Lü, Wei; Xu, Huawei; Huo, Jiansheng; Shao, Baiqi; Feng, Yang; Zhao, Shuang; You, Hongpeng

2017-07-18

A tunable white light emitting Na 2 Ca 3 Si 2 O 8 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ,Mn 2+ phosphor with a high color rendering index (CRI) has been prepared. Under UV excitation, Na 2 Ca 3 Si 2 O 8 :Ce 3+ phosphors present blue luminescence and exhibit a broad excitation ranging from 250 to 400 nm. When codoping Tb 3+ /Mn 2+ ions into Na 2 Ca 3 Si 2 O 8 , energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ and Ce 3+ to Mn 2+ ions is observed from the spectral overlap between Ce 3+ emission and Tb 3+ /Mn 2+ excitation spectra. The energy-transfer efficiencies and corresponding mechanisms are discussed in detail. The mechanism of energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ is demonstrated to be a dipole-quadrupole mechanism by the Inokuti-Hirayama model. The wavelength-tunable white light can be realized by coupling the emission bands centered at 440, 550 and 590 nm ascribed to the contribution from Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ and Mn 2+ , respectively. The commission on illumination value of color tunable emission can be tuned by controlling the content of Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ and Mn 2+ . Temperature-dependent luminescence spectra proved the good thermal stability of the as-prepared phosphor. White LEDs with CRI = 93.5 are finally fabricated using a 365 nm UV chip and the as-prepared Na 2 Ca 3 Si 2 O 8 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ,Mn 2+ phosphor. All the results suggest that Na 2 Ca 3 Si 2 O 8 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ,Mn 2+ can act as potential color-tunable and single-phase white emission phosphors for possible applications in UV based white LEDs.

In situ growth of hollow gold-silver nanoshells within porous silica offers tunable plasmonic extinctions and enhanced colloidal stability.

PubMed

Li, Chien-Hung; Jamison, Andrew C; Rittikulsittichai, Supparesk; Lee, Tai-Chou; Lee, T Randall

2014-11-26

Porous silica-coated hollow gold-silver nanoshells were successfully synthesized utilizing a procedure where the porous silica shell was produced prior to the transformation of the metallic core, providing enhanced control over the structure/composition of the bimetallic hollow core. By varying the reaction time and the precise amount of gold salt solution added to a porous silica-coated silver-core template solution, composite nanoparticles were tailored to reveal a readily tunable surface plasmon resonance that could be centered across the visible and near-IR spectral regions (∼445-800 nm). Characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the synthetic methodology afforded particles having uniform composition, size, and shape. The optical properties were evaluated by absorption/extinction spectroscopy. The stability of colloidal solutions of our composite nanoparticles as a function of pH was also investigated, revealing that the nanoshells remain intact over a wide range of conditions (i.e., pH 2-10). The facile tunability, enhanced stability, and relatively small diameter of these composite particles (∼110 nm) makes them promising candidates for use in tumor ablation or as photothermal drug-delivery agents.

Compact, passively Q-switched, all-solid-state master oscillator-power amplifier-optical parametric oscillator (MOPA-OPO) system pumped by a fiber-coupled diode laser generating high-brightness, tunable, ultraviolet radiation.

PubMed

Peuser, Peter; Platz, Willi; Fix, Andreas; Ehret, Gerhard; Meister, Alexander; Haag, Matthias; Zolichowski, Paul

2009-07-01

We report on a compact, tunable ultraviolet laser system that consists of an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) and a longitudinally diode-pumped Nd:YAG master oscillator-power amplifier (MOPA). The pump energy for the whole laser system is supplied via a single delivery fiber. Nanosecond pulses are produced by an oscillator that is passively Q-switched by a Cr(4+):YAG crystal. The OPO is pumped by the second harmonic of the Nd:YAG MOPA. Continuously tunable radiation is generated by an intracavity sum-frequency mixing process within the OPO in the range of 245-260 nm with high beam quality. Maximum pulse energies of 1.2 mJ were achieved, which correspond to an optical efficiency of 3.75%, relating to the pulse energy of the MOPA at 1064 nm.

Integrated MEMS-tunable VCSELs for reconfigurable optical interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kögel, Benjamin; Debernardi, Pierluigi; Westbergh, Petter; Gustavsson, Johan S.; Haglund, Åsa; Haglund, Erik; Bengtsson, Jörgen; Larsson, Anders

2012-03-01

A simple and low-cost technology for tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with curved movable micromirror is presented. The micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) is integrated with the active optical component (so-called half-VCSEL) by means of surface-micromachining using a reflown photoresist droplet as sacrificial layer. The technology is demonstrated for electrically pumped, short-wavelength (850 nm) tunable VCSELs. Fabricated devices with 10 μm oxide aperture are singlemode with sidemode suppression >35 dB, tunable over 24 nm with output power up to 0.5mW, and have a beam divergence angle <6 °. An improved high-speed design with reduced parasitic capacitance enables direct modulation with 3dB-bandwidths up to 6GHz and error-free data transmission at 5Gbit/s. The modulation response of the MEMS under electrothermal actuation has a bandwidth of 400 Hz corresponding to switching times of about 10ms. The thermal crosstalk between MEMS and half-VCSEL is negligible and not degrading the device performance. With these characteristics the integrated MEMS-tunable VCSELs are basically suitable for use in reconfigurable optical interconnects and ready for test in a prototype system. Schemes for improving output power, tuning speed, and modulation bandwidth are briefly discussed.

Color-tunable mixed photoluminescence emission from Alq3 organic layer in metal-Alq3-metal surface plasmon structure.

PubMed

Chen, Nai-Chuan; Liao, Chung-Chi; Chen, Cheng-Chang; Fan, Wan-Ting; Wu, Jin-Han; Li, Jung-Yu; Chen, Shih-Pu; Huang, Bohr-Ran; Lee, Li-Ling

2014-01-01

This work reports the color-tunable mixed photoluminescence (PL) emission from an Alq3 organic layer in an Au-Alq3-Au plasmonic structure through the combination of organic fluorescence emission and another form of emission that is enabled by the surface plasmons in the plasmonic structure. The emission wavelength of the latter depends on the Alq3 thickness and can be tuned within the Alq3 fluorescent spectra. Therefore, a two-color broadband, color-tunable mixed PL structure was obtained. Obvious changes in the Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates and the corresponding emission colors of Au-Alq3-Au samples clearly varied with the Alq3 thickness (90, 130, and 156 nm).

Color-tunable mixed photoluminescence emission from Alq3 organic layer in metal-Alq3-metal surface plasmon structure

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This work reports the color-tunable mixed photoluminescence (PL) emission from an Alq3 organic layer in an Au-Alq3-Au plasmonic structure through the combination of organic fluorescence emission and another form of emission that is enabled by the surface plasmons in the plasmonic structure. The emission wavelength of the latter depends on the Alq3 thickness and can be tuned within the Alq3 fluorescent spectra. Therefore, a two-color broadband, color-tunable mixed PL structure was obtained. Obvious changes in the Commission Internationale d’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates and the corresponding emission colors of Au-Alq3-Au samples clearly varied with the Alq3 thickness (90, 130, and 156 nm). PMID:25328506

Tunable surface plasmon devices

DOEpatents

Shaner, Eric A [Rio Rancho, NM; Wasserman, Daniel [Lowell, MA

2011-08-30

A tunable extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) device wherein the tunability derives from controlled variation of the dielectric constant of a semiconducting material (semiconductor) in evanescent-field contact with a metallic array of sub-wavelength apertures. The surface plasmon resonance wavelength can be changed by changing the dielectric constant of the dielectric material. In embodiments of this invention, the dielectric material is a semiconducting material. The dielectric constant of the semiconducting material in the metal/semiconductor interfacial region is controllably adjusted by adjusting one or more of the semiconductor plasma frequency, the concentration and effective mass of free carriers, and the background high-frequency dielectric constant in the interfacial region. Thermal heating and/or voltage-gated carrier-concentration changes may be used to variably adjust the value of the semiconductor dielectric constant.

2004 Army Research Office in Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

23 Uncool Tunable LWIR Microbolometer...but also for speech in multimedia applications. ELECTRONICS Uncooled Tunable LWIR Microbolometer – Multi- or hyper- spectral images contain...Analysis of NURBS Curves and Surfaces Jian-Ao Lian, Prairie View A&M University The multiresolution structure of NURBS ( nonuniform rational B

Spoof surface plasmons resonance effect and tunable electric response of improved metamaterial in the terahertz regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yue; Zhang, Li-Ying; Mei, Jin-Shuo; Zhang, Wen-Chao; Tong, Yi-Jing

2015-12-01

We propose an improved design and numerical study of an optimized tunable plasmonics artificial material resonator in the terahertz regime. We demonstrate that tunability can be realized with a transmission intensity as much as ˜61% in the lower frequency resonance, which is implemented through the effect of photoconductive switching under photoexcitation. In the higher frequency resonance, we show that spoof surface plasmons along the interface of metal/dielectric provide new types of electromagnetic resonances. Our approach opens up possibilities for the interface of metamaterial and plasmonics to be applied to optically tunable THz switching. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61201075), the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province, China (Grant No. F2015039), the Young Scholar Project of Heilongjiang Provincial Education Bureau, China (Grant No. 1254G021), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2012M511507), and the Science Funds for the Young Innovative Talents of Harbin University of Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 201302).

Injection-seeded tunable mid-infrared pulses generated by difference frequency mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyamoto, Yuki; Hara, Hideaki; Masuda, Takahiko; Hiraki, Takahiro; Sasao, Noboru; Uetake, Satoshi

2017-03-01

We report on the generation of nanosecond mid-infrared pulses having frequency tunability, a narrow linewidth, and a high pulse energy. These pulses are obtained by frequency mixing between injection-seeded near-infrared pulses in potassium titanyl arsenate crystals. A continuous-wave external cavity laser diode or a Ti:sapphire ring laser is used as a tunable seeding source for the near-infrared pulses. The typical energy of the generated mid-infrared pulses is in the range of 0.4-1 mJ/pulse. The tuning wavelength ranges from 3142 to 4806 nm. A narrow linewidth of 1.4 GHz and good frequency reproducibility of the mid-infrared pulses are confirmed by observing a rovibrational absorption line of gaseous carbon monoxide at 4587 nm.

Transition Metal Nanomaterials by Bacterial Precipitation: Synthesis and Characterization of Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marusak, Katherine Elizabeth

We present a new method to fabricate semiconducting, transition metal nanoparticles (NPs) with tunable bandgap energies using engineered Escherichia coli. These bacteria overexpress the Treponema denticola cysteine desulfhydrase gene to facilitate precipitation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) NPs. Multiple characterization techniques reveal that the bacterially precipitated NPs are agglomerates of mostly quantum dots, with diameters that can range from 3 to 15 nm, embedded in a carbon-rich matrix. Notably, the measured photoelectrochemical current generated by these NPs is comparable to values reported in the literature and higher than that of synthesized chemical bath deposited CdS NPs. We showed that we can manipulate the bandgap energy of the NPs by controlling their size through varying the precursor concentrations. Our calculated bandgap energies ranged between 2.67 eV (i.e., quantum confined CdS) to 2.36 eV ( i.e., bulk CdS). By adding the CdCl2 precursor at a specific stage of the bacterial growth cycle, we were able to induce extracellular CdS NP precipitation. Additionally, we adapted extracellular precipitation strategies to form CdS NPs on surfaces as bacterial/PC membrane composites and characterized them by spectroscopic and imaging methods, including energy dispersive spectroscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This method allowed us to control the localization of NP precipitation throughout the layered bacterial/membrane composite, by varying the timing of the cadmium precursor addition. Additionally, we demonstrated the photodegradation of methyl orange using the CdS functionalized porous membranes, thus confirming the photocatalytic properties of our composites for eventual translation to device development. We finally also explored the precipitation of other metallic NPs using our bacterial system, using enzyme extracted from our bacterial system, and using commercially available, his-tagged enzyme. We hope to extend this research to tethering enzymes on surfaces to direct NP precipitation. Taken all together, our results show the great promise bacteria have for the fabrication of tunable, transition metal NPs with useful electronic properties.

High-energy, tunable, mid-infrared, picosecond optical parametric generation in CdSiP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaitanya Kumar, S.; Jelínek, M.; Baudisch, M.; Zawilski, K. T.; Schunemann, P. G.; Kubecek, V.; Biegert, J.; Ebrahim-Zadeh, M.

2012-06-01

We report a tunable, high-energy, single-pass, optical parametric generator (OPG) based on the new nonlinear material, cadmium silicon phosphide, CdSiP2. The OPG is pumped by a laboratory designed cavity-dumped passively mode-locked, diode-pumped, Nd:YAG oscillator, providing 25 μJ pulses in 20 ps at 5 Hz. The pump energy is further boosted by a flashlamp-pumped Nd:YAG amplifier to 2.5 mJ. The OPG is temperature tunable over 1263-1286 nm (23 nm) in the signal and 6153-6731 nm (578 nm) in the idler, corresponding to a total tuning range of 601 nm. Using the single-pass OPG configuration, we have generated signal energy as high as 636 μJ at 1283 nm, together with an idler energy of 33 μJ at 6234 nm, for 2.1 mJ of input pump energy. The signal pulses generated from the OPG have a Gaussian pulse duration of 24 ps and an FWHM spectral bandwidth of 10.4 nm at central wavelength of 1276 nm. The corresponding idler spectrum has an FWHM bandwidth of 140 nm centered at 6404 nm.

A spectrally tunable all-graphene-based flexible field-effect light-emitting device

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaomu; Tian, He; Mohammad, Mohammad Ali; Li, Cheng; Wu, Can; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling

2015-01-01

The continuous tuning of the emission spectrum of a single light-emitting diode (LED) by an external electrical bias is of great technological significance as a crucial property in high-quality displays, yet this capability has not been demonstrated in existing LEDs. Graphene, a tunable optical platform, is a promising medium to achieve this goal. Here we demonstrate a bright spectrally tunable electroluminescence from blue (∼450 nm) to red (∼750 nm) at the graphene oxide/reduced-graphene oxide interface. We explain the electroluminescence results from the recombination of Poole–Frenkel emission ionized electrons at the localized energy levels arising from semi-reduced graphene oxide, and holes from the top of the π band. Tuning of the emission wavelength is achieved by gate modulation of the participating localized energy levels. Our demonstration of current-driven tunable LEDs not only represents a method for emission wavelength tuning but also may find applications in high-quality displays. PMID:26178323

Experimental Validation of Plasma Metasurfaces as Tunable THz Reflectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon Quinones, Roberto; Underwood, Thomas; Cappelli, Mark

2016-10-01

Measurements are presented which validate the use of plasma metasurfaces (PMs) as potential tunable THz reflectors. The PM considered here is an n x n array of laser produced plasma kernels generated by focusing the fundamental output from a 2 J/p Q-switched Nd:YAG laser through a multi-lens array (MLA) and into a gas of varying pressure. An M Squared Firefly-THz laser is used to generate a collimated pulse of THz light, which is then directed to the PM at varying angles of incidence. The reflected energy is measured using a Gentec-EO SDX-1187 joulemeter probe to characterize the surface impedance or reflectivity. In this presentation, we will compare the measured reflectance to values obtained from theoretical predictions and 3D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. Work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). R. Colon Quinones and T. Underwood acknowledge the support of the Department of Defense (DoD) through the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program.

Parametric infrared tunable laser system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbuny, M.; Henningsen, T.; Sutter, J. R.

1980-01-01

A parametric tunable infrared laser system was built to serve as transmitter for the remote detection and density measurement of pollutant, poisonous, or trace gases in the atmosphere. The system operates with a YAG:Nd laser oscillator amplifier chain which pumps a parametric tunable frequency converter. The completed system produced pulse energies of up to 30 mJ. The output is tunable from 1.5 to 3.6 micrometers at linewidths of 0.2-0.5 /cm (FWHM), although the limits of the tuning range and the narrower line crystals presently in the parametric converter by samples of the higher quality already demonstrated is expected to improve the system performance further.

Powerless tunable photonic crystal with bistable color and millisecond switching.

PubMed

Chan, Chia-Tsung; Yeh, J Andrew

2011-07-04

This study demonstrated a tunable photonic crystal (PhC) with 70 nm-wide spectral tuning (535 nm to 605 nm) and 3 ms of response time. The tunable PhC is based on reciprocal capillary action of liquid in the nanoscale PhC voids. By wetting the porous silicon PhC with ethanol and water, the PhC can be bistably switched respectively between liquid-filled state (orange color) and vapor-filled state (yellow color). Owing to the energy barrier between the two wetting states, the tunable PhC can remain at either of the two states with no external power consumption.

The tunable wettability in multistimuli-responsive smart graphene surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Shanhong; Pu, Jibin; Zhang, Xiaoqian; Wang, Liping; Xue, Qunji

2013-01-01

The tunable wettability of smart graphene films onto stainless steel substrates with a multi-response to different environmental stimuli has been investigated including light irradiation, pH, electric field, and annealing temperature. Conductive graphene film exhibited the controllable transition from water-repellent to water-loving characteristic in response to different environment fields, which primarily resulted from the morpho-chemically synergistic effect as well as the restoration of electronic stucture. Based on the fundamental theories of wettability, mechanisms in switching from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity for smart graphene surface including thermal chemistry, electrostatic, photo-induced surface chemistry, solvent, and pH methods were presented.

Depth profiling the solid electrolyte interphase on lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) using synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordh, Tim; Younesi, Reza; Brandell, Daniel; Edström, Kristina

2015-10-01

The presence of a surface layer on lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, LTO) anodes, which has been a topic of debate in scientific literature, is here investigated with tunable high surface sensitive synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) to obtain a reliable depth profile of the interphase. Li||LTO cells with electrolytes consisting of 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate dissolved in ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate (LiPF6 in EC:DEC) were cycled in two different voltage windows of 1.0-2.0 V and 1.4-2.0 V. LTO electrodes were characterized after 5 and 100 cycles. Also the pristine electrode as such, and an electrode soaked in the electrolyte were analyzed by varying the photon energies enabling depth profiling of the outermost surface layer. The main components of the surface layer were found to be ethers, P-O containing compounds, and lithium fluoride.

Thermally tunable VO2-SiO2 nanocomposite thin-film capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yifei; Narayanachari, K. V. L. V.; Wan, Chenghao; Sun, Xing; Wang, Haiyan; Cooley, Kayla A.; Mohney, Suzanne E.; White, Doug; Duwel, Amy; Kats, Mikhail A.; Ramanathan, Shriram

2018-03-01

We present a study of co-sputtered VO2-SiO2 nanocomposite dielectric thin-film media possessing continuous temperature tunability of the dielectric constant. The smooth thermal tunability is a result of the insulator-metal transition in the VO2 inclusions dispersed within an insulating matrix. We present a detailed comparison of the dielectric characteristics of this nanocomposite with those of a VO2 control layer and of VO2/SiO2 laminate multilayers of comparable overall thickness. We demonstrated a nanocomposite capacitor that has a thermal capacitance tunability of ˜60% between 25 °C and 100 °C at 1 MHz, with low leakage current. Such thermally tunable capacitors could find potential use in applications such as sensing, thermal cloaks, and phase-change energy storage devices.

Tunable synthesis of nanocarbon architectures and their application in advanced symmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dewei; Wang, Yatong; Xu, Wen; Xu, Wenhui

2018-06-01

Controllable fabrication of carbonaceous materials has aroused considerable interest, however, the development of template-free methods for the synthesis of nanocarbons with tunable architectures still remains a significant challenge in both experimental design and theoretical research. Herein, this study demonstrates the straightforward process for the selectively production of porous carbons nanoarchitectures including porous carbon microfibers (CMFs), carbon nanosheets (CNs) and carbon nanosheets decorated with hollow sphere (CNDHS) via a novel KNO3 activation process with cotton as the precursor. We found that not only the morphologies, but also the specific surface area and the pore size distributions of the products are drastically associated with the concentration of KNO3. In particular, the unique 2D nanosheets decorated with hollow spheres endow the CNDHS with large specific surface area (2091 m2/g), narrow micropores (1.38 nm), small internal resistance (0.87 Ω), and low level of heteroatoms content. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of these intrinsic features, the symmetric supercapacitors based on CNDHS display outstanding electrochemical performance including high specific capacitance of 183 F/g at 1 A/g, excellent rate capability of 62.8% at 50 A/g, small IR drop (0.735 V at 50 A/g), good cycling stability (91.1% of capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles) in 1 M TEABF4/AN electrolyte. Moreover, the proper integrated large energy density (28.875 W h/kg) with high power density (37.125 kW/kg) demonstrated again that the present work may provide a new path for the design and production of various nanocarbon architectures for energy storage related applications.

Electrically Tunable Energy Bandgap in Dual-Gated Ultra-Thin Black Phosphorus Field Effect Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Shi-Li; Xie, Zhi-Jian; Chen, Jian-Hao; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji

2017-03-01

The energy bandgap is an intrinsic character of semiconductors, which largely determines their properties. The ability to continuously and reversibly tune the bandgap of a single device during real time operation is of great importance not only to device physics but also to technological applications. Here we demonstrate a widely tunable bandgap of few-layer black phosphorus (BP) by the application of vertical electric field in dual-gated BP field-effect transistors. A total bandgap reduction of 124 meV is observed when the electrical displacement field is increased from 0.10V/nm to 0.83V/nm. Our results suggest appealing potential for few-layer BP as a tunable bandgap material in infrared optoelectronics, thermoelectric power generation and thermal imaging.

Widely tunable 11 GHz femtosecond fiber laser based on a nonmode-locked source [Widely tunable 11 GHz femtosecond fiber laser based on a non-modelocked source

DOE PAGES

Prantil, Matthew A.; Cormier, Eric; Dawson, Jay W.; ...

2013-08-19

An 11 GHz fiber laser built on a modulated CW platform is described and characterized. This compact, vibrationinsensitive, fiber based system can be operated at wavelengths compatible with high energy fiber technology, is driven by an RF signal directly, and is tunable over a wide range of drive frequencies. The demonstration system when operated at 1040 nm is capable of 50 ns bursts of 575 micro-pulses produced at a macro-pulse rate of 83 kHz where the macro-pulse and micro-pulse energies are 1.8 μJ and 3.2 nJ respectively. Micro-pulse durations of 850 fs are demonstrated. Finally, we discuss extensions to shortermore » duration.« less

Tunable dual-band nearly perfect absorption based on a compound metallic grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Hua; Zheng, Zhi-Yuan; Feng, Juan

2017-02-01

Traditional metallic gratings and novel metamaterials are two basic kinds of candidates for perfect absorption. Comparatively speaking, metallic grating is the preferred choice for the same absorption effect because it is structurally simpler and more convenient to fabricate. However, to date, most of the perfect absorption effects achieved based on metamaterials are also available using an metallic grating except the tunable dual(multi)-band perfect absorption. To fill this gap, in this paper, by adding subgrooves on the rear surface as well as inside the grating slits to a free-standing metallic grating, tunable dual-band perfect absorption is also obtained for the first time. The grooves inside the slits is to tune the frequency of the Cavity Mode(CM) resonance which enhances the transmission and suppresses the reflectance simultaneously. The grooves on the rear surface give rise to the phase resonance which not only suppresses the transmission but also reinforces the reflectance depression effect. Thus, when the phase resonance and the frequency tunable CM resonance occur together, transmission and reflection can be suppressed simultaneously, dual-band nearly perfect absorption with tunable frequencies is obtained. To our knowledge, this perfect absorption phenomenon is achieved for the first time in a designed metallic grating structure.

Raman Shifting a Tunable ArF Excimer Laser to Wavelengths of 190 to 240 nm With a Forced Convection Raman Cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balla, R. Jeffrey; Herring, G. C.

2000-01-01

Tunable radiation, at ultraviolet wavelengths, is produced by Raman shifting a modified 285-mJ ArF excimer laser. Multiple Stokes outputs are observed in H2, CH4, D2, N2, SF6, and CF4 (20, 22, 53, 21, 2.1, and 0.35 percent, respectively). Numbers in parentheses are the first Stokes energy conversion efficiencies. We can access 70 percent of the frequency range 42000-52000 cm (exp -1) (190-240 nm) with Stokes energies that vary from 0.2 microJoule to 58 mJ inside the Raman cell. By using 110 mJ of pump energy and D 2 , the tunable first Stokes energy varies over the 29-58 mJ range as the wavelength is tuned over the 204-206 nm range. Dependence on input energy, gas pressure, He mixture fraction, and circulation of the gas in the forced convection Raman cell is discussed; Stokes conversion is also discussed for laser repetition rates from 1 to 100 Hz. An empirical equation is given to determine whether forced convection can improve outputs for a given repetition rate.

From Flexible and Stretchable Meta-Atom to Metamaterial: A Wearable Microwave Meta-Skin with Tunable Frequency Selective and Cloaking Effects

PubMed Central

Yang, Siming; Liu, Peng; Yang, Mingda; Wang, Qiugu; Song, Jiming; Dong, Liang

2016-01-01

This paper reports a flexible and stretchable metamaterial-based “skin” or meta-skin with tunable frequency selective and cloaking effects in microwave frequency regime. The meta-skin is composed of an array of liquid metallic split ring resonators (SRRs) embedded in a stretchable elastomer. When stretched, the meta-skin performs as a tunable frequency selective surface with a wide resonance frequency tuning range. When wrapped around a curved dielectric material, the meta-skin functions as a flexible “cloaking” surface to significantly suppress scattering from the surface of the dielectric material along different directions. We studied frequency responses of multilayer meta-skins to stretching in a planar direction and to changing the spacing between neighboring layers in vertical direction. We also investigated scattering suppression effect of the meta-skin coated on a finite-length dielectric rod in free space. This meta-skin technology will benefit many electromagnetic applications, such as frequency tuning, shielding, and scattering suppression. PMID:26902969

Far-field emission characteristics and linewidth measurements of surface micro-machined MEMS tunable VCSELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Sujoy; Gierl, Christian; Gründl, Tobias; Zogal, Karolina; Meissner, Peter; Amann, Markus-Christian; Küppers, Franko

2013-03-01

In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time the far-field experimental results and the linewidth characteris- tics for widely tunable surface-micromachined micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vertical-cavity surface- emitting lasers (VCSELs) operating at 1550 nm. The fundamental Gaussian mode emission is confirmed by optimizing the radius of curvature of top distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) membrane and by choosing an ap- propriate diameter of circular buried tunnel junctions (BTJs) so that only the fundamental Gaussian mode can sustain. For these VCSELs, a mode-hop free continuous tuning over 100 nm has already been demonstrated, which is achieved by electro-thermal tuning of the MEMS mirror. The fiber-coupled optical power of 2mW over the entire tuning range has been reported. The singlemode laser emission has more than 40 dB of side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR). The smallest linewidth achieved with these of MEMS tunable VCSELs is 98MHz which is one order of magnitude higher than that of fixed-wavelength VCSELs.

Development of solid tunable optics for ultra-miniature imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yongchao, Zou

This thesis focuses on the optimal design, fabrication and testing of solid tunable optics and exploring their applications in miniature imaging systems. It starts with the numerical modelling of such lenses, followed by the optimum design method and alignment tolerance analysis. A miniature solid tunable lens driven by a piezo actuator is then developed. To solve the problem of limited maximum optical power and tuning range in conventional lens designs, a novel multi-element solid tunable lens is proposed and developed. Inspired by the Alvarez principle, a novel miniature solid tunable dual-focus lens, which is designed using freeform surfaces and driven by one micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) rotary actuator, is demonstrated. To explore the applications of these miniature solid tunable lenses, a miniature adjustable-focus endoscope and one compact adjustable-focus camera module are developed. The adjustable-focus capability of these two miniature imaging systems is fully proved by electrically focusing targets placed at different positions.

Superhydrophobic Surface With Shape Memory Micro/Nanostructure and Its Application in Rewritable Chip for Droplet Storage.

PubMed

Lv, Tong; Cheng, Zhongjun; Zhang, Dongjie; Zhang, Enshuang; Zhao, Qianlong; Liu, Yuyan; Jiang, Lei

2016-09-21

Recently, superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable wettability have aroused much attention. Noticeably, almost all present smart performances rely on the variation of surface chemistry on static micro/nanostructure, to obtain a surface with dynamically tunable micro/nanostructure, especially that can memorize and keep different micro/nanostructures and related wettabilities, is still a challenge. Herein, by creating micro/nanostructured arrays on shape memory polymer, a superhydrophobic surface that has shape memory ability in changing and recovering its hierarchical structures and related wettabilities was reported. Meanwhile, the surface was successfully used in the rewritable functional chip for droplet storage by designing microstructure-dependent patterns, which breaks through current research that structure patterns cannot be reprogrammed. This article advances a superhydrophobic surface with shape memory hierarchical structure and the application in rewritable functional chip, which could start some fresh ideas for the development of smart superhydrophobic surface.

Tunable surface plasmon resonance frequency of Au-Ag bimetallic asymmetric structure thin films in the UV and IR region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Ruijin; Ji, Jialin; Tao, Chunxian; Zhang, Dawei

2016-10-01

Au/ZnO/Ag sandwich structure films were fabricated by DC magnetron sputter at room temperature. The tunability of the surface plasmon resonance wavelength was realized by varying the thickness of ZnO thin film. The effects of ZnO layer on the optical properties of Au/ZnO/Au thin films were investigated by optical absorption and Raman scattering measurements. It has been found that both the surface plasmon resonance frequency and SERS can be controlled by adjusting the thickness of ZnO layer due to the coupling of metal and semiconductor.

Graphene quantum blisters: A tunable system to confine charge carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, H. M.; Van der Donck, M.; Bahlouli, H.; Peeters, F. M.; Van Duppen, B.

2018-05-01

Due to Klein tunneling, electrostatic confinement of electrons in graphene is not possible. This hinders the use of graphene for quantum dot applications. Only through quasi-bound states with finite lifetime has one achieved to confine charge carriers. Here, we propose that bilayer graphene with a local region of decoupled graphene layers is able to generate bound states under the application of an electrostatic gate. The discrete energy levels in such a quantum blister correspond to localized electron and hole states in the top and bottom layers. We find that this layer localization and the energy spectrum itself are tunable by a global electrostatic gate and that the latter also coincides with the electronic modes in a graphene disk. Curiously, states with energy close to the continuum exist primarily in the classically forbidden region outside the domain defining the blister. The results are robust against variations in size and shape of the blister which shows that it is a versatile system to achieve tunable electrostatic confinement in graphene.

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.

Energy transfer and color tunable emission in Tb3 +,Eu3 + co-doped Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F phosphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuo; Guo, Ning; Liang, Qimeng; Ding, Yu; Zhou, Huitao; Ouyang, Ruizhuo; Lü, Wei

2018-02-01

A group of color tunable Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F:Tb3 +,Eu3 + phosphors were prepared by conventional high temperature solid state method. The phase structures, luminescence properties, fluorescence lifetimes and energy transfer were investigated in detail. Under 369 nm excitation, owing to efficient energy transfer of Tb3 + → Eu3 +, the emission spectra both have green emission of Tb3 + and red emission of Eu3 +. An efficient energy transfer occur in Tb3 +, Eu3 + co-doped Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F phosphors. The most possible mechanism of energy transfer is dipole-dipole interaction by Dexter's theoretical model. The energy transfer of Tb3 + and Eu3 + was confirmed by the variations of emission and excitation spectra and Tb3 +/Eu3 + decay lifetimes in Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F:Tb3 +,Eu3 +. The color tone can tuned from yellowish-green through yellow and eventually to reddish-orange with fixed Tb3 + content by changing Eu3 + concentrations. The results show that the prepared Tb3 +, Eu3 + co-doped color tunable Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F phosphor can be used for white LED.

Nonequilibrium-Plasma-Synthesized ZnO Nanocrystals with Plasmon Resonance Tunable via Al Doping and Quantum Confinement.

PubMed

Greenberg, Benjamin L; Ganguly, Shreyashi; Held, Jacob T; Kramer, Nicolaas J; Mkhoyan, K Andre; Aydil, Eray S; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2015-12-09

Metal oxide semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) tunable within the infrared (IR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum by vacancy or impurity doping. Although a variety of these NCs have been produced using colloidal synthesis methods, incorporation and activation of dopants in the liquid phase has often been challenging. Herein, using Al-doped ZnO (AZO) NCs as an example, we demonstrate the potential of nonthermal plasma synthesis as an alternative strategy for the production of doped metal oxide NCs. Exploiting unique, thoroughly nonequilibrium synthesis conditions, we obtain NCs in which dopants are not segregated to the NC surfaces and local doping levels are high near the NC centers. Thus, we achieve overall doping levels as high as 2 × 10(20) cm(-3) in NCs with diameters ranging from 12.6 to 3.6 nm, and for the first time experimentally demonstrate a clear quantum confinement blue shift of the LSPR energy in vacancy- and impurity-doped semiconductor NCs. We propose that doping of central cores and heavy doping of small NCs are achievable via nonthermal plasma synthesis, because chemical potential differences between dopant and host atoms-which hinder dopant incorporation in colloidal synthesis-are irrelevant when NC nucleation and growth proceed via irreversible interactions among highly reactive gas-phase ions and radicals and ligand-free NC surfaces. We explore how the distinctive nucleation and growth kinetics occurring in the plasma influences dopant distribution and activation, defect structure, and impurity phase formation.

Film-Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array for Picosat Propulsion and Thermal Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexeenko, Alina; Cardiff, Eric; Martinez, Andres; Petro, Andrew

2015-01-01

The Film-Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array (FEMTA) concept for propulsion and thermal control of picosats exploits microscale surface tension effect in conjunction with temperature- dependent vapor pressure to realize compact, tunable and low-power thermal valving system. The FEMTA is intended to be a self-contained propulsion unit requiring only a low-voltage DC power source to operate. The microfabricated thermal valving and very-high-integration level enables fast high-capacity cooling and high-resolution, low-power micropropulsion for picosats that is superior to existing smallsat micropropulsion and thermal management alternatives.

Widely tunable narrow-band coherent Terahertz radiation from an undulator at THU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, X.; Wang, D.; Tian, Q.; Liang, Y.; Niu, L.; Yan, L.; Du, Y.; Huang, W.; Tang, C.

2018-01-01

There is anxious demand for intense widely tunable narrow-band Terahertz (THz) radiation in scientific research, which is regarded as a powerful tool for the coherent control of matter. We report the generation of widely tunable THz radiation from a planar permanent magnet undulator at Tsinghua University (THU). A relativistic electron beam is compressed by a magnetic chicane into sub-ps bunch length to excite THz radiation in the undulator coherently. The THz frequency can be tuned from 0.4 THz to 10 THz continuously with narrow-band spectrums when the undulator gap ranges from 23 mm to 75 mm. The measured pulse THz radiation energy from 220 pC bunch is 3.5 μJ at 1 THz and tens of μJ pulse energy (corresponding peak power of 10 MW) can be obtained when excited by 1 nC beam extrapolated from the property of coherent radiation. The experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions, which demonstrates a suitable THz source for the many applications that require intense and widely tunable THz sources.

Solvent-induced synthesis of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with tunable surface morphology for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Feng; Yuan, Ren-Lu; Zhang, Ning; Ke, Chang-Ce; Ma, Shao-Xia; Zhang, Ru-Liang; Liu, Lei

2018-04-01

Nitrogen doped hollow carbon spheres (NHCSs) with tunable surface morphology have been prepared through one-pot carbonization method by using melamine-formaldehyde spheres as template and resorcinol-based resin as carbon precursor in ethanol-water solution. Well-dispersed NHCSs with particle size of 800 nm were obtained and the surface of NHCSs turn from smooth to tough, wrinkled, and finally concave by increasing the ethanol concentration. The fabricated NHCSs possessed high nitrogen content (3.99-4.83%) and hierarchical micro-dual mesoporous structure with surface area range of 265-405 m2 g-1 and total pore volume of 0.18-0.29 cm3 g-1, which contributed to high specific capacitance, excellent rate capability and long cycle life.

Seed-mediated growth of Au nanorings with size control on Pd ultrathin nanosheets and their tunable surface plasmonic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxing; Yan, Yucong; Zhou, Ning; Zhang, Hui; Li, Dongsheng; Yang, Deren

2016-02-01

Nanorings made of noble metals such as Au and Ag have attracted particular interest in plasmonic properties since they allow remarkable tunability of plasmon resonance wavelengths associated with their unique structural features. Unfortunately, most of the syntheses for Au nanorings involve complex procedures and/or require highly specialized and expensive facilities. Here, we report a seed-mediated approach for selective deposition of Au nanorings on the periphery of Pd seeds with the structure of an ultrathin nanosheet through the island growth mode. In combination with selective etching of Pd nanosheets, Au nanorings are eventually produced. We can control the outer diameter and wall thickness of the nanorings by simply varying the size of the Pd nanosheets and reaction time. By taking the advantage of this size controllability, the nanorings show tunable surface plasmonic properties in the near infrared (NIR) region arising from both the in-plane dipole and face resonance modes. Owing to their good surface plasmonic properties, the nanorings show substantially enhanced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) performance for rhodamine 6G, and are therefore confirmed as good SERS substrates to detect trace amounts of molecules.Nanorings made of noble metals such as Au and Ag have attracted particular interest in plasmonic properties since they allow remarkable tunability of plasmon resonance wavelengths associated with their unique structural features. Unfortunately, most of the syntheses for Au nanorings involve complex procedures and/or require highly specialized and expensive facilities. Here, we report a seed-mediated approach for selective deposition of Au nanorings on the periphery of Pd seeds with the structure of an ultrathin nanosheet through the island growth mode. In combination with selective etching of Pd nanosheets, Au nanorings are eventually produced. We can control the outer diameter and wall thickness of the nanorings by simply varying the size of the Pd nanosheets and reaction time. By taking the advantage of this size controllability, the nanorings show tunable surface plasmonic properties in the near infrared (NIR) region arising from both the in-plane dipole and face resonance modes. Owing to their good surface plasmonic properties, the nanorings show substantially enhanced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) performance for rhodamine 6G, and are therefore confirmed as good SERS substrates to detect trace amounts of molecules. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08613b

Phase coherence and Andreev reflection in topological insulator devices

DOE PAGES

Finck, A. D. K.; Kurter, C.; Hor, Y. S.; ...

2014-11-04

Topological insulators (TIs) have attracted immense interest because they host helical surface states. Protected by time-reversal symmetry, they are robust to nonmagnetic disorder. When superconductivity is induced in these helical states, they are predicted to emulate p-wave pairing symmetry, with Majorana states bound to vortices. Majorana bound states possess non-Abelian exchange statistics that can be probed through interferometry. Here, we take a significant step towards Majorana interferometry by observing pronounced Fabry-Pérot oscillations in a TI sandwiched between a superconducting and a normal lead. For energies below the superconducting gap, we observe a doubling in the frequency of the oscillations, arisingmore » from an additional phase from Andreev reflection. When a magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the TI surface, a number of very sharp and gate-tunable conductance peaks appear at or near zero energy, which has consequences for interpreting spectroscopic probes of Majorana fermions. Our results show that TIs are a promising platform for exploring phase-coherent transport in a solid-state system.« less

Dimensional and compositional change of 1D chalcogen nanostructures leading to tunable localized surface plasmon resonances.

PubMed

Min, Yuho; Seo, Ho Jun; Choi, Jong-Jin; Hahn, Byung-Dong; Moon, Geon Dae

2018-08-24

As part of the oxygen family, chalcogen (Se, Te) nanostructures have been considered important elements for various practical fields and further exploited to constitute metal chalcogenides for each targeted application. Here, we report a controlled synthesis of well-defined one-dimensional chalcogen nanostructures such as nanowries, nanorods, and nanotubes by controlling reduction reaction rate to fine-tune the dimension and composition of the products. Tunable optical properties (localized surface plasmon resonances) of these chalcogen nanostructures are observed depending on their morphological, dimensional, and compositional variation.

Enhanced tunability of magnetron sputtered Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 thin films on c-plane sapphire substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fardin, E. A.; Holland, A. S.; Ghorbani, K.; Reichart, P.

2006-07-01

Thin films of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST) were deposited on c-plane (0001) sapphire by rf magnetron sputtering and investigated by complementary materials analysis methods. Microwave properties of the films, including tunability and Q factor were measured from 1to20GHz by patterning interdigital capacitors (IDCs) on the film surface. The tunability is correlated with texture, strain, and grain size in the deposited films. An enhanced capacitance tunability of 56% at a bias field of 200kV/cm and total device Q of more than 15 (up to 20GHz) were achieved following postdeposition annealing at 900°C.

Generation of narrowband, high-intensity, carrier-envelope phase-stable pulses tunable between 4 and 18  THz.

PubMed

Liu, B; Bromberger, H; Cartella, A; Gebert, T; Först, M; Cavalleri, A

2017-01-01

We report on the generation of high-energy (1.9 μJ) far-infrared pulses tunable between 4 and 18 THz frequency. Emphasis is placed on tunability and on minimizing the bandwidth of these pulses to less than 1 THz, as achieved by difference-frequency mixing of two linearly chirped near-infrared pulses in the organic nonlinear crystal DSTMS. As the two near-infrared pulses are derived from amplification of the same white light continuum, their carrier envelope phase fluctuations are mutually correlated, and hence the difference-frequency THz field exhibits absolute phase stability. This source opens up new possibilities for the control of condensed matter and chemical systems by selective excitation of low-energy modes in a frequency range that has, to date, been difficult to access.

Tunable diode laser-pumped Tm,Ho:YLF laser operated in continuous-wave and Q-switched modes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguckin, B. T.; Hemmati, H.; Menzies, R. T.

1992-01-01

Tunable continuous-wave and pulsed laser output was obtained from a Tm-sensitized Ho:YLiF4 crystal at subambient temperatures when longitudinally pumped with a diode laser array. A conversion efficiency of 42 percent and slope efficiency of approximately 60 percent relative to the absorbed pumped power have been achieved at a crystal temperature of 275 K. The emission spectrum was etalon tunable over a range of 16/cm centered at 2067 nm with fine tuning capability of the transition frequency with crystal temperature at measured rate of -0.03/cm/K. Output energies of 0.22 mJ per pulse and 22 ns pulse duration were recorded at Q-switch frequencies that correspond to an effective upper laser level lifetime of 6 ms, and a pulse energy extraction efficiency of 64 percent.

An optical system adopting liquid crystals with electrical tunability of wavelength and energy density for low level light therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Chia-Ming; Wang, Yu-Jen; Chen, Hung-Shan; Lin, Yi-Hsin; Srivastava, Abhishek K.; Chigrinov, Vladimir G.

2015-09-01

We have developed a bistable negative lens by integrating a polarization switch of ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) with a passively anisotropic focusing element. The proposed lens not only exhibits electrically tunable bistability but also fast response time of sub-milliseconds, which leads to good candidate of optical component in optical system for medical applications. In this paper, we demonstrate an optical system consisting of two FLC phase retarders and one LC lenses that exhibits both of electrically tunable wavelength and size of exposure area. The operating principles and the experimental results are discussed. The tunable spectrum, exposure area size and tunable irradiance are illustrated. Compared to conventional lenses with mechanical movements in the medical light therapy system, our electrically switchable optical system is more practical in the portable applications of light therapy (LLLT).

Designing Free Energy Surfaces That Match Experimental Data with Metadynamics

DOE PAGES

White, Andrew D.; Dama, James F.; Voth, Gregory A.

2015-04-30

Creating models that are consistent with experimental data is essential in molecular modeling. This is often done by iteratively tuning the molecular force field of a simulation to match experimental data. An alternative method is to bias a simulation, leading to a hybrid model composed of the original force field and biasing terms. Previously we introduced such a method called experiment directed simulation (EDS). EDS minimally biases simulations to match average values. We also introduce a new method called experiment directed metadynamics (EDM) that creates minimal biases for matching entire free energy surfaces such as radial distribution functions and phi/psimore » angle free energies. It is also possible with EDM to create a tunable mixture of the experimental data and free energy of the unbiased ensemble with explicit ratios. EDM can be proven to be convergent, and we also present proof, via a maximum entropy argument, that the final bias is minimal and unique. Examples of its use are given in the construction of ensembles that follow a desired free energy. Finally, the example systems studied include a Lennard-Jones fluid made to match a radial distribution function, an atomistic model augmented with bioinformatics data, and a three-component electrolyte solution where ab initio simulation data is used to improve a classical empirical model.« less

Designing free energy surfaces that match experimental data with metadynamics.

PubMed

White, Andrew D; Dama, James F; Voth, Gregory A

2015-06-09

Creating models that are consistent with experimental data is essential in molecular modeling. This is often done by iteratively tuning the molecular force field of a simulation to match experimental data. An alternative method is to bias a simulation, leading to a hybrid model composed of the original force field and biasing terms. We previously introduced such a method called experiment directed simulation (EDS). EDS minimally biases simulations to match average values. In this work, we introduce a new method called experiment directed metadynamics (EDM) that creates minimal biases for matching entire free energy surfaces such as radial distribution functions and phi/psi angle free energies. It is also possible with EDM to create a tunable mixture of the experimental data and free energy of the unbiased ensemble with explicit ratios. EDM can be proven to be convergent, and we also present proof, via a maximum entropy argument, that the final bias is minimal and unique. Examples of its use are given in the construction of ensembles that follow a desired free energy. The example systems studied include a Lennard-Jones fluid made to match a radial distribution function, an atomistic model augmented with bioinformatics data, and a three-component electrolyte solution where ab initio simulation data is used to improve a classical empirical model.

Rational Design of Hyperbranched Nanowire Systems for Tunable Superomniphobic Surfaces Enabled by Atomic Layer Deposition

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

Bielinski, Ashley R.; Boban, Mathew; He, Yang

2017-01-24

A method for tunable control of geometry in hyperbranched ZnO nanowire (NW) systems is reported, which enables the rational design and fabrication of superomniphobic surfaces. Branched NWs with tunable density and orientation were grown via a sequential hydrothermal process, in which atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used for NW seeding, disruption of epitaxy, and selective blocking of NW nucleation. This approach allows for the rational design and optimization of three-level hierarchical structures, in which the geometric parameters of each level of hierarchy can be individually controlled. We demonstrate the coupled relationships between geometry and contact angle for a variety ofmore » liquids, which is supported by mathematical models of structural superomniphobicity. The highest performing superomniphobic surface was designed with three levels of hierarchy and achieved the following advancing/receding contact angles, water: 172°/170°, hexadecane: 166°/156°, octane: 162°/145°, and heptane: 160°/130°. Low surface tension liquids were shown to bounce off the surface from a height of 7 cm without breaking through and wetting. This approach demonstrates the power of ALD as an enabling technique for hierarchical materials by design, spanning the macro, micro, and nano length scales.« less

Tunable Luminescent Carbon Nanospheres with Well-Defined Nanoscale Chemistry for Synchronized Imaging and Therapy.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Misra, Santosh K; Gryka, Mark C; Chang, Huei-Huei; Tiwari, Saumya; Wilson, William L; Scott, John W; Bhargava, Rohit; Pan, Dipanjan

2015-09-01

In this work, we demonstrate the significance of defined surface chemistry in synthesizing luminescent carbon nanomaterials (LCN) with the capability to perform dual functions (i.e., diagnostic imaging and therapy). The surface chemistry of LCN has been tailored to achieve two different varieties: one that has a thermoresponsive polymer and aids in the controlled delivery of drugs, and the other that has fluorescence emission both in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region and can be explored for advanced diagnostic modes. Although these particles are synthesized using simple, yet scalable hydrothermal methods, they exhibit remarkable stability, photoluminescence and biocompatibility. The photoluminescence properties of these materials are tunable through careful choice of surface-passivating agents and can be exploited for both visible and NIR imaging. Here the synthetic strategy demonstrates the possibility to incorporate a potent antimetastatic agent for inhibiting melanomas in vitro. Since both particles are Raman active, their dispersion on skin surface is reported with Raman imaging and utilizing photoluminescence, their depth penetration is analysed using fluorescence 3D imaging. Our results indicate a new generation of tunable carbon-based probes for diagnosis, therapy or both. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Applications of surface acoustic and shallow bulk acoustic wave devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Colin K.

1989-10-01

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) device coverage includes delay lines and filters operating at selected frequencies in the range from about 10 MHz to 11 GHz; modeling with single-crystal piezoelectrics and layered structures; resonators and low-loss filters; comb filters and multiplexers; antenna duplexers; harmonic devices; chirp filters for pulse compression; coding with fixed and programmable transversal filters; Barker and quadraphase coding; adaptive filters; acoustic and acoustoelectric convolvers and correlators for radar, spread spectrum, and packet radio; acoustooptic processors for Bragg modulation and spectrum analysis; real-time Fourier-transform and cepstrum processors for radar and sonar; compressive receivers; Nyquist filters for microwave digital radio; clock-recovery filters for fiber communications; fixed-, tunable-, and multimode oscillators and frequency synthesizers; acoustic charge transport; and other SAW devices for signal processing on gallium arsenide. Shallow bulk acoustic wave device applications include gigahertz delay lines, surface-transverse-wave resonators employing energy-trapping gratings, and oscillators with enhanced performance and capability.

Generation of high-energy sub-20 fs pulses tunable in the 250-310 nm region by frequency doubling of a high-power noncollinear optical parametric amplifier.

PubMed

Beutler, Marcus; Ghotbi, Masood; Noack, Frank; Brida, Daniele; Manzoni, Cristian; Cerullo, Giulio

2009-03-15

We report on the generation of powerful sub-20 fs deep UV pulses with 10 microJ level energy and broadly tunable in the 250-310 nm range. These pulses are produced by frequency doubling a high-power noncollinear optical parametric amplifier and compressed by a pair of MgF2 prisms to an almost transform-limited duration. Our results provide a power scaling by an order of magnitude with respect to previous works.

A High-Average-Power Free Electron Laser for Microfabrication and Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dylla, H. F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.; Bohn, C. L.; Cardman, L.; Engwall, D.; Fugitt, J.; Jordan, K.; Kehne, D.; Li, Z.;

Thermoresponsive wettability of photonic crystals fabricated by core-shell poly(styrene-acrylamide) nano/microspheres.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuqi; Gao, Loujun; Heng, Liping; Wei, Qingbo; Yang, Hua; Wang, Qiao

2013-03-01

The photonic crystals (PCs) films with tunable wettability were fabricated from self-assembly of an amphiphilic latex nano/microspheres poly(styrene-acrylamide) at different temperatures. The results demonstrate that the surface wettability of the PCs film can be tuned from high hydrophilic (CA, 17 degrees) to high hydrophobic (CA, 127.8 degrees) by controlling the assembly temperature from 30 degrees C to 90 degrees C, while the position of the photonic stopbands of the PCs films unchanged virtually. The obvious wettability transition is due to the change of the surface chemical component of the latex spheres, which mainly derives from the phase separation of polymer segments driven toward minimum interfacial energy. The facile method could open new application fields of PCs in diverse environments.

Fabrication of a nano-cone array on a p-GaN surface for enhanced light extraction efficiency from GaN-based tunable wavelength LEDs.

PubMed

Soh, C B; Wang, B; Chua, S J; Lin, Vivian K X; Tan, Rayson J N; Tripathy, S

2008-10-08

We report on the fabrication of a nano-cone structured p-GaN surface for enhanced light extraction from tunable wavelength light emitting diodes (LEDs). Prior to p-contact metallization, self-assembled colloidal particles are deposited and used as a mask for plasma etching to create nano-cone structures on the p-GaN layer of LEDs. A well-defined periodic nano-cone array, with an average cone diameter of 300 nm and height of 150 nm, is generated on the p-GaN surface. The photoluminescence emission intensity recorded from the regions with the nano-cone array is increased by two times as compared to LEDs without surface patterning. The light output power from the LEDs with surface nano-cones shows significantly higher electroluminescence intensity at an injection current of 70 mA. This is due to the internal multiple scattering of light from the nano-cone sidewalls. Furthermore, we have shown that with an incorporation of InGaN nanostructures in the quantum well, the wavelength of these surface-patterned LEDs can be tuned from 517 to 488 nm with an increase in the injection current. This methodology may serve as a practical approach to increase the light extraction efficiency from wavelength tunable LEDs.

Thermal Quenching of Photoluminescence in ZnO and GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albarakati, Nahla Mubarak

Investigation of the thermal quenching of photoluminescence (PL) in semiconductors provides valuable information on identity and characteristics of point defects in these materials, which helps to better understand and improve the properties of semiconductor materials and devices. Abrupt and tunable thermal quenching (ATQ) of PL is a relatively new phenomenon with an unusual behavior of PL. This mechanism was able to explain what a traditional model failed to explain. Usually, in traditional model used to explain "normal" quenching, the slope of PL quenching in the Arrhenius plot determines the ionization energy of the defect causing the PL band. However, in abrupt quenching when the intensity of PL decreases by several orders of magnitude within a small range of temperature, the slope in the Arrhenius plot has no relation to the ionization energy of any defect. It is not known a priori if the thermal quenching of a particular PL band is normal or abrupt and tunable. Studying new cases of unusual thermal quenching, classifying and explaining them helps to predict new cases and understand deeper the ATQ mechanism of PL thermal quenching. Very few examples of abrupt and tunable quenching of PL in semiconductors can be found in literature. The abrupt and tunable thermal quenching, reported here for the first time for high-resistivity ZnO, provides an evidence to settle the dispute concerning the energy position of the Li Zn acceptor. In high-resistivity GaN samples, the common PL bands related to defects are the yellow luminescence (YL) band and a broad band in the blue spectral region (BL2). In this work, we report for the first time the observation of abrupt and tunable thermal quenching of the YL band in GaN. The activation energies for the YL and BL2 bands calculated through the new mechanism show agreement with the reported values. From this study we predict that the ATQ phenomenon is quite common for high-resistivity semiconductors.

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

Zhuang, Jinda; Ju, Y. Sungtaek, E-mail: just@seas.ucla.edu

One major challenge in incorporating flexible electronics or optoelectronics on curved surfaces is the requirement of significant stretchability. We report a tunable platform for incorporating flexible and yet non-stretching device layers on a hemisphere. In this configuration, an array of planar petals contractively maps onto the surface of an inflatable hemisphere through elastocapillary interactions mediated by an interface liquid. A mechanical model is developed to elucidate the dependence of the conformality of the petal structures on their elastic modulus and thickness and the liquid surface tension. The modeling results are validated against experimental results obtained using petal structures of differentmore » thicknesses, restoring elastic spring elements of different spring constants, and liquids with different surface tension coefficients. Our platform will enable facile integration of non-stretching electronic and optoelectronic components prepared using established planar fabrication techniques on tunable hemispherical surfaces.« less

Tunable Optical Polymer Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-29

effected , the amount of energy required to achieve optical tunability, satisfactory color contrasts, durability, the processability of the chromogenic...moieties. However, this interaction is not strong enough to cause a pronounced effect in its photophysics. As a result of this slight interaction...oxidation accompanied by a color change. The reduction behavior is unstable and causes loss of the electrochromic effect . The PPTZPQ

Damping-tunable energy-harvesting vehicle damper with multiple controlled generators: Design, modeling and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Longhan; Li, Jiehong; Li, Xiaodong; Huang, Ledeng; Cai, Siqi

2018-01-01

Hydraulic dampers are used to decrease the vibration of a vehicle, where vibration energy is dissipated as heat. In addition to resulting in energy waste, the damping coefficient in hydraulic dampers cannot be changed during operation. In this paper, an energy-harvesting vehicle damper was proposed to replace traditional hydraulic dampers. The goal is not only to recover kinetic energy from suspension vibration but also to change the damping coefficient during operation according to road conditions. The energy-harvesting damper consists of multiple generators that are independently controlled by switches. One of these generators connects to a tunable resistor for fine tuning the damping coefficient, while the other generators are connected to a control and rectifying circuit, each of which both regenerates electricity and provides a constant damping coefficient. A mathematical model was built to investigate the performance of the energy-harvesting damper. By controlling the number of switched-on generators and adjusting the value of the external tunable resistor, the damping can be fine tuned according to the requirement. In addition to the capability of damping tuning, the multiple controlled generators can output a significant amount of electricity. A prototype was built to test the energy-harvesting damper design. Experiments on an MTS testing system were conducted, with results that validated the theoretical analysis. Experiments show that changing the number of switched-on generators can obviously tune the damping coefficient of the damper and simultaneously produce considerable electricity.

Simulation, fabrication, and characterization of a tunable electrowetting-based lens with a wedge-shaped PDMS dielectric layer.

PubMed

Moghaddam, Mohammadreza Salehi; Latifi, H; Shahraki, Hamidreza; Cheri, Mohammad Sadegh

2015-04-01

Microlenses with tunable focal length have wide applications in optofluidic devices. This work presents a numerical and experimental investigation on a tunable electrowetting-based concave lens. Optical properties such as focal length of the lens and visibility of images were investigated numerically and experimentally. A finite element analysis and a ZEMAX simulation were used for determination of surface profile and focal length of the lens. The results show that the theoretical surface profile and focal length of the lens are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The lens has a wide tuning focal length equal to 6.5 (cm). Because the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer is wedge shaped (as both the dielectric and hydrophobic layers), lower applied voltage is needed. A commercial program was used to find the focal length of the lens from maximum visibility value by tuning the applied voltage.

Synthesis-driven, structure-dependent optical behavior in phase-tunable NaYF 4:Yb,Er-based motifs and associated heterostructures

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

Liu, Haiqing; Han, Jinkyu; McBean, Coray

Understanding the key parameters necessary for generating uniform Er,Yb co-activated NaYF 4 possessing various selected phases (i.e. cubic or hexagonal) represents an important chemical strategy towards tailoring optical behavior in these systems. In this paper, we report on a straightforward hydrothermal synthesis in which the separate effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, and precursor stoichiometry in the absence of any surfactant were independently investigated. Interestingly, the presence and the concentration of NH 4OH appear to be the most critical determinants of the phase and morphology. For example, with NH 4OH as an additive, we have observed the formation of novelmore » hierarchical nanowire bundles which possess overall lengths of ~5 μm and widths of ~1.5 μm but are composed of constituent component sub-units of long, ultrathin (~5 nm) nanowires. These motifs have yet to be reported as distinctive morphological manifestations of fluoride materials. The optical properties of as-generated structures have also been carefully analyzed. Specifically, we have observed tunable, structure-dependent energy transfer behavior associated with the formation of a unique class of NaYF 4–CdSe quantum dot (QD) heterostructures, incorporating zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and three-dimensional (3D) NaYF 4 structures. Our results have demonstrated the key roles of the intrinsic morphology-specific physical surface area and porosity as factors in governing the resulting opto-electronic behavior. Finally and specifically, the trend in energy transfer efficiency correlates well with the corresponding QD loading within these heterostructures, thereby implying that the efficiency of FRET appears to be directly affected by the amount of QDs immobilized onto the external surfaces of the underlying fluoride host materials.« less

Synthesis-driven, structure-dependent optical behavior in phase-tunable NaYF 4:Yb,Er-based motifs and associated heterostructures

DOE PAGES

Liu, Haiqing; Han, Jinkyu; McBean, Coray; ...

2017-01-03

Understanding the key parameters necessary for generating uniform Er,Yb co-activated NaYF 4 possessing various selected phases (i.e. cubic or hexagonal) represents an important chemical strategy towards tailoring optical behavior in these systems. In this paper, we report on a straightforward hydrothermal synthesis in which the separate effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, and precursor stoichiometry in the absence of any surfactant were independently investigated. Interestingly, the presence and the concentration of NH 4OH appear to be the most critical determinants of the phase and morphology. For example, with NH 4OH as an additive, we have observed the formation of novelmore » hierarchical nanowire bundles which possess overall lengths of ~5 μm and widths of ~1.5 μm but are composed of constituent component sub-units of long, ultrathin (~5 nm) nanowires. These motifs have yet to be reported as distinctive morphological manifestations of fluoride materials. The optical properties of as-generated structures have also been carefully analyzed. Specifically, we have observed tunable, structure-dependent energy transfer behavior associated with the formation of a unique class of NaYF 4–CdSe quantum dot (QD) heterostructures, incorporating zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and three-dimensional (3D) NaYF 4 structures. Our results have demonstrated the key roles of the intrinsic morphology-specific physical surface area and porosity as factors in governing the resulting opto-electronic behavior. Finally and specifically, the trend in energy transfer efficiency correlates well with the corresponding QD loading within these heterostructures, thereby implying that the efficiency of FRET appears to be directly affected by the amount of QDs immobilized onto the external surfaces of the underlying fluoride host materials.« less

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.

One-dimensional polaritons with size-tunable and enhanced coupling strengths in semiconductor nanowires.

PubMed

van Vugt, Lambert K; Piccione, Brian; Cho, Chang-Hee; Nukala, Pavan; Agarwal, Ritesh

2011-06-21

Strong coupling of light with excitons in direct bandgap semiconductors leads to the formation of composite photonic-electronic quasi-particles (polaritons), in which energy oscillates coherently between the photonic and excitonic states with the vacuum Rabi frequency. The light-matter coherence is maintained until the oscillator dephases or the photon escapes. Exciton-polariton formation has enabled the observation of Bose-Einstein condensation in the solid-state, low-threshold polariton lasing and is also useful for terahertz and slow-light applications. However, maintaining coherence for higher carrier concentration and temperature applications still requires increased coupling strengths. Here, we report on size-tunable, exceptionally high exciton-polariton coupling strengths characterized by a vacuum Rabi splitting of up to 200 meV as well as a reduction in group velocity, in surface-passivated, self-assembled semiconductor nanowire cavities. These experiments represent systematic investigations on light-matter coupling in one-dimensional optical nanocavities, demonstrating the ability to engineer light-matter coupling strengths at the nanoscale, even in non-quantum-confined systems, to values much higher than in bulk.

One-dimensional polaritons with size-tunable and enhanced coupling strengths in semiconductor nanowires

PubMed Central

van Vugt, Lambert K.; Piccione, Brian; Cho, Chang-Hee; Nukala, Pavan; Agarwal, Ritesh

2011-01-01

Strong coupling of light with excitons in direct bandgap semiconductors leads to the formation of composite photonic-electronic quasi-particles (polaritons), in which energy oscillates coherently between the photonic and excitonic states with the vacuum Rabi frequency. The light-matter coherence is maintained until the oscillator dephases or the photon escapes. Exciton-polariton formation has enabled the observation of Bose-Einstein condensation in the solid-state, low-threshold polariton lasing and is also useful for terahertz and slow-light applications. However, maintaining coherence for higher carrier concentration and temperature applications still requires increased coupling strengths. Here, we report on size-tunable, exceptionally high exciton-polariton coupling strengths characterized by a vacuum Rabi splitting of up to 200 meV as well as a reduction in group velocity, in surface-passivated, self-assembled semiconductor nanowire cavities. These experiments represent systematic investigations on light-matter coupling in one-dimensional optical nanocavities, demonstrating the ability to engineer light-matter coupling strengths at the nanoscale, even in non-quantum-confined systems, to values much higher than in bulk. PMID:21628582

Microstructure-tunable highly conductive graphene-metal composites achieved by inkjet printing and low temperature annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jie; Song, Man; Wen, Chenyu; Majee, Subimal; Yang, Dong; Wu, Biao; Zhang, Shi-Li; Zhang, Zhi-Bin

2018-03-01

We present a method for fabricating highly conductive graphene-silver composite films with a tunable microstructure achieved by means of an inkjet printing process and low temperature annealing. This is implemented by starting from an aqueous ink formulation using a reactive silver solution mixed with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), followed by inkjet printing deposition and annealing at 100 °C for silver formation. Due to the hydrophilic surfaces and the aid of a polymer stabilizer in an aqueous solution, the GNPs are uniformly covered with a silver layer. Simply by adjusting the content of GNPs in the inks, highly conductive GNP/Ag composites (>106 S m-1), with their microstructure changed from a large-area porous network to a compact film, is formed. In addition, the printed composite films show superior quality on a variety of unconventional substrates compared to its counterpart without GNPs. The availability of composite films paves the way to the metallization in different printed devices, e.g. interconnects in printed circuits and electrodes in energy storage devices.

Energy transfer and color tunable emission in Tb3+,Eu3+ co-doped Sr3LaNa(PO4)3F phosphors.

PubMed

Li, Shuo; Guo, Ning; Liang, Qimeng; Ding, Yu; Zhou, Huitao; Ouyang, Ruizhuo; Lü, Wei

2018-02-05

A group of color tunable Sr 3 LaNa(PO 4 ) 3 F:Tb 3+ ,Eu 3+ phosphors were prepared by conventional high temperature solid state method. The phase structures, luminescence properties, fluorescence lifetimes and energy transfer were investigated in detail. Under 369nm excitation, owing to efficient energy transfer of Tb 3+ →Eu 3+ , the emission spectra both have green emission of Tb 3+ and red emission of Eu 3+ . An efficient energy transfer occur in Tb 3+ , Eu 3+ co-doped Sr 3 LaNa(PO 4 ) 3 F phosphors. The most possible mechanism of energy transfer is dipole-dipole interaction by Dexter's theoretical model. The energy transfer of Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ was confirmed by the variations of emission and excitation spectra and Tb 3+ /Eu 3+ decay lifetimes in Sr 3 LaNa(PO 4 ) 3 F:Tb 3+ ,Eu 3+ . The color tone can tuned from yellowish-green through yellow and eventually to reddish-orange with fixed Tb 3+ content by changing Eu 3+ concentrations. The results show that the prepared Tb 3+ , Eu 3+ co-doped color tunable Sr 3 LaNa(PO 4 ) 3 F phosphor can be used for white LED. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tunable energy transfer from d 10 heterobimetallic dicyanide(I) donor ions to terbium(III) acceptor ions in luminescent Tb[Ag xAu 1- x(CN) 2] 3 ( x = 0 → 1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Haiyan; Yson, Renante; Ford, James; Tracy, Henry J.; Carrier, Alora B.; Keller, Aaron; Mullin, Jerome L.; Poissan, Michelle J.; Sawan, Samuel; Patterson, Howard H.

2007-07-01

We report on the heterobimetallic system, Tb[Ag xAu 1- x(CN) 2] 3 ( x = 0 → 1), in which sensitization of terbium luminescence occurs by energy transfer from [Ag xAu 1- x(CN) 2] - donor excited states. The donor states have energies which are tunable and dependent on the Ag/Au stoichiometric ratio. We report on their use as donor systems with Tb(III) ions as acceptor ions in energy transfer studies. Luminescence results show that the mixed metal dicyanides with the higher silver loading have a better energy transfer efficiency than the pure Ag(CN)2- and Au(CN)2- donors. The better energy transfer efficiency is due to the greater overlap between the donor emission and acceptor excitation.

Fabrication of tunable plasmonic 3D nanostructures for SERS applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbay, Ayse; Yuksel, Handan; Solmaz, Ramazan; Kahraman, Mehmet

2016-03-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique used for characterization of biological and nonbiological molecules and structures. Since plasmonic properties of the nanomaterials is one of the most important factor influencing SERS activity, tunable plasmonic properties (wavelength of the surface plasmons and magnitude of the electromagnetic field generated on the surface) of SERS substrates are crucial in SERS studies. SERS enhancement can be maximized by controlling of plasmonic properties of the nanomaterials. In this study, a novel approach to fabricate tunable plasmonic 3D nanostructures based on combination of soft lithography and nanosphere lithography is studied. Spherical latex particles having different diameters are uniformly deposited on glass slides with convective assembly method. The experimental parameters for the convective assembly are optimized by changing of latex spheres concentration, stage velocity and latex particles volume placed between to two glass slides that staying with a certain angle to each other. Afterwards, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer is poured on the deposited latex particles and cured to obtain nanovoids on the PDMS surfaces. The diameter and depth of the nanovoids on the PDMS surface are controlled by the size of the latex particles. Finally, fabricated nanovoid template on the PDMS surfaces are filled with the silver coating to obtain plasmonic 3D nanostructures. Characterization of the fabricated surfaces is performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). SERS performance of fabricated 3D plasmonic nanostructures will be evaluated using Raman reporter molecules.

Tunable random lasing behavior in plasmonic nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Ashish; Zhong, Liubiao; Sun, Jun; Jiang, Lin; Cheng, Gary J.; Chi, Lifeng

2017-01-01

Random lasing is desired in plasmonics nanostructures through surface plasmon amplification. In this study, tunable random lasing behavior was observed in dye molecules attached with Au nanorods (NRs), Au nanoparticles (NPs) and Au@Ag nanorods (NRs) respectively. Our experimental investigations showed that all nanostructures i.e., Au@AgNRs, AuNRs & AuNPs have intensive tunable spectral effects. The random lasing has been observed at excitation wavelength 532 nm and varying pump powers. The best random lasing properties were noticed in Au@AgNRs structure, which exhibits broad absorption spectrum, sufficiently overlapping with that of dye Rhodamine B (RhB). Au@AgNRs significantly enhance the tunable spectral behavior through localized electromagnetic field and scattering. The random lasing in Au@AgNRs provides an efficient coherent feedback for random lasers.

Ultrafast Imaging of Chiral Surface Plasmon by Photoemission Electron Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Yanan; Dabrowski, Maciej; Petek, Hrvoje

We employ Time-Resolved Photoemission Electron Microscopy (TR-PEEM) to study surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wave packet dynamics launched by tunable (VIS-UV) femtosecond pulses of various linear and circular polarizations. The plasmonic structures are micron size single-crystalline Ag islands grown in situ on Si surfaces and characterized by Low Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM). The local fields of plasmonic modes enhance two and three photon photoemission (2PP and 3PP) at the regions of strong field enhancement. Imaging of the photoemission signal with PEEM electron optics thus images the plasmonic fields excited in the samples. The observed PEEM images with left and right circularly polarized light show chiral images, which is a consequence of the transverse spin momentum of surface plasmon. By changing incident light polarization, the plasmon interference pattern shifts with light ellipticity indicating a polarization dependent excitation phase of SPP. In addition, interferometric-time resolved measurements record the asymmetric SPP wave packet motion in order to characterize the dynamical properties of chiral SPP wave packets.

Influence of surface plasmon resonance of Sn nanoparticles and nanosheets on the photoluminescence and Raman spectra of SnS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warrier, Anita R.; Gandhimathi, R.

2018-04-01

We report on enhancement of photoluminescence of SnS quantum dots by embedding them in a mesh of Sn nanostructures. SnS quantum dots with band gap ˜2.7 eV are embedded in a mesh of Sn nanostructures, that are synthesized from tin chloride solution using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. The synthesized Sn nanostructures have a morphology dependent, tunable surface plasmon resonance ranging from UV region (295 nm) to visible region (400 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum. In the SnS-Sn nanohybrids, the excitons are strongly coupled with plasmons leading to a shift in the excitonic binding energy (˜ 400 meV). Due to the influence of Sn nanoparticles on the SnS quantum dots, the photoluminescence and Raman line intensity is enhanced by an order of ˜103 The enhancement is more pronounced for Sn nanosheets due to the large surface area and visible light surface plasmon resonance.

Tunable mode and line selection by injection in a TEA CO2 laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, R. T.; Flamant, P. H.; Kavaya, M. J.; Kuiper, E. N.

1984-01-01

Tunable mode selection by injection in pulsed CO2 lasers is examined, and both analytical and numerical models are used to compute the required injection power for a variety of experimental cases. These are treated in two categories: mode selection at a desired frequency displacement from the center frequency of a transition line in a dispersive cavity and mode (and line) selection at the center frequency of a selected transition line in a nondispersive cavity. The results point out the potential flexibility of pulsed injection in providing wavelength tunable high-energy single-frequency pulses.

Critical electric field for maximum tunability in nonlinear dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akdogan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2006-09-01

The authors develop a self-consistent thermodynamic theory to compute the critical electric field at which maximum tunability is attained in a nonlinear dielectric. They then demonstrate that the stored electrostatic free energy functional has to be expanded at least up to the sixth order in electric field so as to define the critical field, and show that it depends solely on the fourth and sixth order permittivities. They discuss the deficiency of the engineering tunability metric in describing nonlinear dielectric phenomena, introduce a critical field renormalized tunability parameter, and substantiate the proposed formalism by computing the critical electric field for prototypical 0.9Pb(Mg1/3,Nb2/3)-0.1PbTiO3 and Ba(Ti0.85,Sn0.15)O3 paraelectrics.

Electrodeposition on nanofibrous polymer scaffolds: Rapid mineralization, tunable calcium phosphate composition and topography

PubMed Central

He, Chuanglong; Xiao, Guiyong; Jin, Xiaobing; Sun, Chenghui; Ma, Peter X.

2011-01-01

We developed a straightforward, fast, and versatile technique to fabricate mineralized nanofibrous polymer scaffolds for bone regeneration in this work. Nanofibrous poly(l-lactic acid) scaffolds were fabricated using both electrospinning and phase separation techniques. An electrodeposition process was designed to deposit calcium phosphate on the nanofibrous scaffolds. Such scaffolds contain a high quality mineral coating on the fiber surface with tunable surface topography and chemical composition by varying the processing parameters, which can mimic the composition and structure of natural bone extracellular matrix and provide a more biocompatible interface for bone regeneration. PMID:21673827

Electronically controlled spoof localized surface plasmons on the corrugated ring with a shorting pin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Yong Jin

2018-07-01

We have demonstrated that spoof localized surface plasmons (LSPs) can be controlled by loading a shorting pin into the corrugated ring resonator in the microwave and terahertz (THz) frequencies. Electronical switchability and tunability of spoof LSPs have been achieved by mounting Schottky barrier diodes and varactor diodes across the slit around the shorting pin in the ground plane. An electronically tunable band-pass filter has been demostrated in the microwave frequencies. Such electronically controlled spoof LSPs devices can find more applications for highly integrated plasmonic circuits in microwave and THz frequencies.

Thermal annealing induced the tunable optical properties of silver thin films with linear variable thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Ruijin; Shao, Wen; Ji, Jialin; Tao, Chunxian; Zhang, Dawei

2018-06-01

Silver thin films with linear variable thickness were deposited at room temperature. The corresponding tunability of optical properties and Raman scattering intensity were realized by thermal annealing process. With the thickness increasing, the topography of as-annealed silver thin films was observed to develop from discontinued nanospheres into continuous structure with a redshift of the surface plasmon resonance wavelength in visible region. Both the various nanosphere sizes and states of aggregation of as-annealed silver thin films contributed to significantly increasing the sensitivity of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).

Tunable, superconducting, surface-emitting teraherz source

DOEpatents

Welp, Ulrich [Lisle, IL; Koshelev, Alexei E [Bolingbrook, IL; Gray, Kenneth E [Evanston, IL; Kwok, Wai-Kwong [Evanston, IL; Vlasko-Vlasov, Vitalii [Downers Grove, IL

2009-10-27

A compact, solid-state THz source based on the driven Josephson vortex lattice in a highly anisotropic superconductor such as Bi.sub.2Sr.sub.2CaCu.sub.2O.sub.8 that allows cw emission at tunable frequency. A second order metallic Bragg grating is used to achieve impedance matching and to induce surface emission of THz-radiation from a Bi.sub.2Sr.sub.2CaCu.sub.2O.sub.8 sample. Steering of the emitted THz beam is accomplished by tuning the Josephson vortex spacing around the grating period using a superimposed magnetic control field.

Tunable, superconducting, surface-emitting teraherz source

DOEpatents

Welp, Ulrich; Koshelev, Alexei E.; Gray, Kenneth E.; Kwok, Wai-Kwong; Vlasko-Vlasov, Vitalii

2010-05-11

A compact, solid-state THz source based on the driven Josephson vortex lattice in a highly anisotropic superconductor such as Bi.sub.2Sr.sub.2CaCu.sub.2O.sub.8 that allows cw emission at tunable frequency. A second order metallic Bragg grating is used to achieve impedance matching and to induce surface emission of THz-radiation from a Bi.sub.2Sr.sub.2CaCu.sub.2O.sub.8 sample. Steering of the emitted THz beam is accomplished by tuning the Josephson vortex spacing around the grating period using a superimposed magnetic control field.

Meta-structure and tunable optical device including the same

DOEpatents

Han, Seunghoon; Papadakis, Georgia Theano; Atwater, Harry

2017-12-26

A meta-structure and a tunable optical device including the same are provided. The meta-structure includes a plurality of metal layers spaced apart from one another, an active layer spaced apart from the plurality of metal layers and having a carrier concentration that is tuned according to an electric signal applied to the active layer and the plurality of metal layers, and a plurality of dielectric layers spaced apart from one another and each having one surface contacting a metal layer among the plurality of metal layers and another surface contacting the active layer.

Progressive Design of Plasmonic Metal-Semiconductor Ensemble toward Regulated Charge Flow and Improved Vis-NIR-Driven Solar-to-Chemical Conversion.

PubMed

Han, Chuang; Quan, Quan; Chen, Hao Ming; Sun, Yugang; Xu, Yi-Jun

2017-04-01

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated photocatalysis without the bandgap limitations of traditional semiconductor has aroused significant attention in solar-to-chemical energy conversion. However, the photocatalytic efficiency barely initiated by the SPR effects is still challenged by the low concentration and ineffective extraction of energetic hot electrons, slow charge migration rates, random charge diffusion directions, and the lack of highly active sites for redox reactions. Here, the tunable, progressive harvesting of visible-to-near infrared light (vis-NIR, λ > 570 nm) by designing plasmonic Au nanorods and metal (Au, Ag, or Pt) nanoparticle codecorated 1D CdS nanowire (1D CdS NW) ensemble is reported. The intimate integration of these metal nanostructures with 1D CdS NWs promotes the extraction and manipulated directional separation and migration of hot charge carriers in a more effective manner. Such cooperative synergy with tunable control of interfacial interaction, morphology optimization, and cocatalyst strategy results in the distinctly boosted performance for vis-NIR-driven plasmonic photocatalysis. This work highlights the significance of rationally progressive design of plasmonic metal-semiconductor-based composite system for boosting the regulated directional flow of hot charge carrier and thus the more efficient use of broad-spectrum solar energy conversion. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Infrared differential absorption for atmospheric pollutant detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, R. L.

1974-01-01

Progress made in the generation of tunable infrared radiation and its application to remote pollutant detection by the differential absorption method are summarized. It is recognized that future remote pollutant measurements depended critically on the availability of high energy tunable transmitters. Futhermore, due to eye safety requirements, the transmitted frequency must lie in the 1.4 micron to 13 micron infrared spectral range.

Wettability transition of laser textured brass surfaces inside different mediums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Huangping; Abdul Rashid, Mohamed Raiz B.; Khew, Si Ying; Li, Fengping; Hong, Minghui

2018-01-01

Hydrophobic surface on brass has attracted intensive attention owing to its importance in scientific research and practical applications. Laser texturing provides a simple and promising method to achieve it. Reducing wettability transition time from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity or superhydrophobicity remains a challenge. Herein, wettability transition of brass surfaces with hybrid micro/nano-structures fabricated by laser texturing was investigated by immersing the samples inside different mediums. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface contact angle measurement were employed to characterize surface morphology, chemical composition and wettability of the fabricated surfaces of brass samples. Wettability transition time from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity was shortened by immersion into isopropyl alcohol for a period of 3 h as a result of the absorption and accumulation of organic substances on the textured brass surface. When the textured brass sample was immersed into sodium bicarbonate solution, flower-like structures on the sample surface played a key role in slowing down wettability transition. Moreover, it had the smallest steady state contact angle as compared to the others. This study provides a facile method to construct textured surfaces with tunable wetting behaviors and effectively extend the industrial applications of brass.

Electronic energy loss spectra from mono-layer to few layers of phosphorene

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

Mohan, Brij, E-mail: brijmohanhpu@yahoo.com; Thakur, Rajesh; Ahluwalia, P. K.

2016-05-23

Using first principles calculations, electronic and optical properties of few-layers phosphorene has been investigated. Electronic band structure show a moderate band gap of 0.9 eV in monolayer phosphorene which decreases with increasing number of layers. Optical properties of few-layers of phosphorene in infrared and visible region shows tunability with number of layers. Electron energy loss function has been plotted and huge red shift in plasmonic behaviours is found. These tunable electronic and optical properties of few-layers of phosphorene can be useful for the applications of optoelectronic devices.

Tunable all-optical quasimonochromatic thomson x-ray source in the nonlinear regime.

PubMed

Khrennikov, K; Wenz, J; Buck, A; Xu, J; Heigoldt, M; Veisz, L; Karsch, S

2015-05-15

We present an all-laser-driven, energy-tunable, and quasimonochromatic x-ray source based on Thomson scattering from laser-wakefield-accelerated electrons. One part of the laser beam was used to drive a few-fs bunch of quasimonoenergetic electrons, while the remainder was backscattered off the bunch at weakly relativistic intensity. When the electron energy was tuned from 17-50 MeV, narrow x-ray spectra peaking at 5-42 keV were recorded with high resolution, revealing nonlinear features. We present a large set of measurements showing the stability and practicality of our source.

Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All-Vanadium Flow Batteries.

PubMed

Estevez, Luis; Reed, David; Nie, Zimin; Schwarz, Ashleigh M; Nandasiri, Manjula I; Kizewski, James P; Wang, Wei; Thomsen, Edwin; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Sprenkle, Vincent; Li, Bin

2016-06-22

A dual oxidative approach using O2 plasma followed by treatment with H2 O2 to impart oxygen functional groups onto the surface of a graphite felt electrode. When used as electrodes for an all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) system, the energy efficiency of the cell is enhanced by 8.2 % at a current density of 150 mA cm(-2) compared with one oxidized by thermal treatment in air. More importantly, by varying the oxidative techniques, the amount and type of oxygen groups was tailored and their effects were elucidated. It was found that O-C=O groups improve the cells performance whereas the C-O and C=O groups degrade it. The reason for the increased performance was found to be a reduction in the cell overpotential after functionalization of the graphite felt electrode. This work reveals a route for functionalizing carbon electrodes to improve the performance of VRB cells. This approach can lower the cost of VRB cells and pave the way for more commercially viable stationary energy storage systems that can be used for intermittent renewable energy storage. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solar energy conversion with tunable plasmonic nanostructures for thermoelectric devices.

PubMed

Xiong, Yujie; Long, Ran; Liu, Dong; Zhong, Xiaolan; Wang, Chengming; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Xie, Yi

2012-08-07

The photothermal effect in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) should be fully utilized when integrating plasmonics into solar technologies for improved light absorption. In this communication, we demonstrate that the photothermal effect of silver nanostructures can provide a heat source for thermoelectric devices for the first time. The plasmonic band of silver nanostructures can be facilely manoeuvred by tailoring their shapes, enabling them to interact with photons in different spectral ranges for the efficient utilization of solar light. It is anticipated that this concept can be extended to design a photovoltaic-thermoelectric tandem cell structure with plasmonics as mediation for light harvesting.

Ion-beam assisted laser printing of porous nanorings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syubaev, S.; Kuchmizhak, A.; Nepomnyashchiy, A.

2017-09-01

Pulsed-laser fabrication of noble-metal nanorings with a tunable internal porous structure, which can be further uncapped by using an ion-beam etching procedure, was demonstrated for the first time. Density and average size of the pores were shown to be tuned in a wide range by varying an applied pulse energy and a chemical composition of the metal film controlled via the film magnetron deposition in the appropriate gaseous environment. According to our preliminary numerical simulations, the controlled porosity provides multifold near-field enhancement of the electromagnetic fields, making such structures promising for spectroscopic bioidentification based on a surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Graphene based terahertz phase modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakenov, N.; Ergoktas, M. S.; Balci, O.; Kocabas, C.

2018-07-01

Electrical control of amplitude and phase of terahertz radiation (THz) is the key technological challenge for high resolution and noninvasive THz imaging. The lack of active materials and devices hinders the realization of these imaging systems. Here, we demonstrate an efficient terahertz phase and amplitude modulation using electrically tunable graphene devices. Our device structure consists of electrolyte-gated graphene placed at quarter wavelength distance from a reflecting metallic surface. In this geometry, graphene operates as a tunable impedance surface which yields electrically controlled reflection phase. Terahertz time domain reflection spectroscopy reveals the voltage controlled phase modulation of π and the reflection modulation of 50 dB. To show the promises of our approach, we demonstrate a multipixel phase modulator array which operates as a gradient impedance surface.

Topological phase diagram and saddle point singularity in a tunable topological crystalline insulator

DOE PAGES

Neupane, Madhab; Xu, Su-Yang; Sankar, R.; ...

2015-08-20

Here we report the evolution of the surface electronic structure and surface material properties of a topological crystalline insulator (TCI), Pb 1more » $${-}$$xSnxSe, as a function of various material parameters including composition x, temperature T , and crystal structure. Our spectroscopic data demonstrate the electronic ground-state condition for the saddle point singularity, the tunability of surface chemical potential, and the surface states’ response to circularly polarized light. Our results show that each material parameter can tune the system between the trivial and topological phase in a distinct way, unlike that seen in Bi 2Se 3 and related compounds, leading to a rich topological phase diagram. Our systematic studies of the TCI Pb 1$${-}$$xSnxSe are a valuable materials guide to realize new topological phenomena.« less

Strain engineered barium strontium titanate for tunable thin film resonators

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

Khassaf, H.; Khakpash, N.; Sun, F.

2014-05-19

Piezoelectric properties of epitaxial (001) barium strontium titanate (BST) films are computed as functions of composition, misfit strain, and temperature using a non-linear thermodynamic model. Results show that through adjusting in-plane strains, a highly adaptive rhombohedral ferroelectric phase can be stabilized at room temperature with outstanding piezoelectric response exceeding those of lead based piezoceramics. Furthermore, by adjusting the composition and the in-plane misfit, an electrically tunable piezoelectric response can be obtained in the paraelectric state. These findings indicate that strain engineered BST films can be utilized in the development of electrically tunable and switchable surface and bulk acoustic wave resonators.

Localized-Surface-Plasmon Enhanced the 357 nm Forward Emission from ZnMgO Films Capped by Pt Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The Pt nanoparticles (NPs), which posses the wider tunable localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) energy varying from deep ultraviolet to visible region depending on their morphology, were prepared by annealing Pt thin films with different initial mass-thicknesses. A sixfold enhancement of the 357 nm forward emission of ZnMgO was observed after capping with Pt NPs, which is due to the resonance coupling between the LSP of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of ZnMgO. The other factors affecting the ultraviolet emission of ZnMgO, such as emission from Pt itself and light multi-scattering at the interface, were also discussed. These results indicate that Pt NPs can be used to enhance the ultraviolet emission through the LSP coupling for various wide band-gap semiconductors. PMID:20596433

Hydrocarbon-Fueled Scramjet Research at Hypersonic Mach Numbers

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-31

oxide O atomic oxygen 02 molecular oxygen OH hydroxyl radical ppm parts per million PD photodiode PLLF planar laser-induced fluorescence PMT...photomultiplier tube RAM random access memory RANS Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes RET rotational energy transfer TDLAS tunable diode laser absorption...here extend this knowledge base to flight at Mach 11.5. Griffiths (2004) used a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy ( TDLAS ) system to measure

GATEWAY Report Brief: Tunable-White Lighting at the ACC Care Center

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

None, None

Summary of a GATEWAY program report that documented the performance of tunable-white LED lighting systems installed in several spaces within the ACC Care Center, a senior-care facility in Sacramento, CA. The project results included energy savings and improved lighting quality, as well as other possible health-related benefits that may have been attributable, at least in part, to the lighting changes.

Aptamer-functionalized nano-biosensors.

PubMed

Chiu, Tai-Chia; Huang, Chih-Ching

2009-01-01

Nanomaterials have become one of the most interesting sensing materials because of their unique size- and shape-dependent optical properties, high surface energy and surface-to-volume ratio, and tunable surface properties. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind their target ligands with high affinity. The use of nanomaterials that are bioconjugated with aptamers for selective and sensitive detection of analytes such as small molecules, metal ions, proteins, and cells has been demonstrated. This review focuses on recent progress in the development of biosensors by integrating functional aptamers with different types of nanomaterials, including quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), metallic NPs, and carbon nanotubes. Colorimetry, fluorescence, electrochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and magnetic resonance imaging are common detection modes for a broad range of analytes with high sensitivity and selectivity when using aptamer bioconjugated nanomaterials (Apt-NMs). We highlight the important roles that the size and concentration of nanomaterials, the secondary structure and density of aptamers, and the multivalent interactions play in determining the specificity and sensitivity of the nanosensors towards analytes. Advantages and disadvantages of the Apt-NMs for bioapplications are focused.

Understanding the influence of surface chemical states on the dielectric tunability of sputtered Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkata Saravanan, K.; Raju, K. C. James

2014-03-01

The surface chemical states of RF-magnetron sputtered Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST5) thin films deposited at different oxygen mixing percentage (OMP) was examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The O1s XPS spectra indicate the existence of three kinds of oxygen species (dissociated oxygen ion O2 -, adsorbed oxide ion O- and lattice oxide ion O2-) on the films’ surface, which strongly depends on OMP. The presence of oxygen species other than lattice oxygen ion makes the films’ surface highly reactivity to atmospheric gases, resulting in the formation of undesired surface layers. The XPS results confirm the formation of surface nitrates for the films deposited under oxygen deficient atmosphere (OMP ≦̸ 25%), whereas the films deposited in oxygen rich atmosphere (OMP ≧̸ 75%) show the presence of metal-hydroxide. The influence of a surface dead layer on the tunable dielectric properties of BST5 films have been studied in detail and are reported. Furthermore, our observations indicate that an optimum ratio of Ar:O2 is essential for achieving desired material and dielectric properties in BST5 thin films. The films deposited at 50% OMP have the highest dielectric tunability of ~65% (@280 kV cm-1), with good ɛ r-E curve symmetry of 98% and low tan δ of 0.018. The figure of merit for these films is about 35, which is promising for frequency agile device applications.

Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica for Catalysis, Energy Harvesting, Carbon Dioxide Mitigation, Drug Delivery, and Sensing

PubMed Central

Maity, Ayan

2017-01-01

Abstract Morphology‐controlled nanomaterials such as silica play a crucial role in the development of technologies for addressing challenges in the fields of energy, environment, and health. After the discovery of Stöber silica, followed by that of mesoporous silica materials, such as MCM‐41 and SBA‐15, a significant surge in the design and synthesis of nanosilica with various sizes, shapes, morphologies, and textural properties has been observed in recent years. One notable invention is dendritic fibrous nanosilica, also known as KCC‐1. This material possesses a unique fibrous morphology, unlike the tubular porous structure of various conventional silica materials. It has a high surface area with improved accessibility to the internal surface, tunable pore size and pore volume, controllable particle size, and, importantly, improved stability. Since its discovery, a large number of studies have been reported concerning its use in applications such as catalysis, solar‐energy harvesting, energy storage, self‐cleaning antireflective coatings, surface plasmon resonance‐based ultrasensitive sensors, CO2 capture, and biomedical applications. These reports indicate that dendritic fibrous nanosilica has excellent potential as an alternative to popular silica materials such as MCM‐41, SBA‐15, Stöber silica, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles. This Review provides a critical survey of the dendritic fibrous nanosilica family of materials, and the discussion includes the synthesis and formation mechanism, applications in catalysis and photocatalysis, applications in energy harvesting and storage, applications in magnetic and composite materials, applications in CO2 mitigation, biomedical applications, and analytical applications. PMID:28834600

Interfacial engineering of microstructured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poda, Aimee

The tribological behavior of octadecyltrichlorosilane self assembled monolayers (OTS-SAMs) has been successfully exploited to reduce energy losses and to produce adequate adhesion barrier properties on many MEMS surfaces. Unfortunately, performance discrepancies are reported in the literature between films produced on smooth surfaces as compared to typical MEMS surfaces maintaining topographical roughness. Rational explanations in terms of reproducibility issues, production considerations, and the scale of measurement technique have been introduced to account for some of the variation. The tribological phenomena at the micro-scale are complicated by the fact that rather than inertial effects, the forces associated with the surface become dominant factors influencing the mechanical behavior of contacting components. In MEMS, real mechanical contacts typically consist of a few nanometer scale asperities. Furthermore, various surface topographies exist for MEMS device fabrication and their corresponding asperity profiles can vary drastically based on the production process. This dissertation presents research focusing on the influence of topographical asperities on OTS film properties of relevance for efficient tribological improvement. A fundamental approach has been taken to carefully examine the factors that contribute to high quality film formation, specifically formation temperature and the role of interfacial water layer associated with the sample surface. As evidenced on smooth surfaces, the characteristics for successful tribological performance of OTS films are strongly dependent on the lateral packing density and molecular orientation of the monolayer. Limited information is available on how monolayers associate on topographical asperities and whether these topographical asperities influence the interfacial reactivity of MEMS surfaces. A silica film produced from a low temperature, vapor-phase hydrolysis of tetrachlorosilane with a tunable topography is introduced and leveraged as a novel investigative platform for advanced analytical investigations often restricted to use on smooth surfaces. This tunable surface allows intellectual insight into the nature of surface properties associated with silica surfaces, the uptake of interfacial water and the subsequent influence of surface morphology on OTS film formation. FTIR analysis was utilized for an examination of interfacial properties on both smooth Si(100) surfaces and on the tunable MVD topography in combination with an investigation of OTS film formation mechanism. A dilute etchant technique is developed to provide topographic contrast for AFM imaging to allow direct examination of film packing characteristics in relation to surface asperities. A relationship between monolayer adsorption characteristics and topographical asperities with observed variations in monolayer order resultant from surface roughness has been elucidated. Results show that the packing structure of OTS monolayers is dependent on the local asperity curvature which is qualitatively different from that observed on flat surfaces. In addition, a difference in surface reactivity is observed as a result of different surface topographies with thicker silica layers maintaining a thicker interfacial water layer resulting in a higher coverage of OTS monolayers at similar reaction times and conditions. This work shows changes in surface reactivity as a consequence of different morphological surface characteristics and preparation procedures. Additional research is presented on a new class of SAM, namely octadecylphoshonic acid and its monolayer formation mechanism and properties are compared to conventional OTS monolayers. This monolayer is translated to investigative probes based on Aluminum oxide specifically tailored for a tribological comparison across multi-scale friction regimes.

Combined laser heating and tandem acousto-optical filter for two-dimensional temperature distribution on the surface of the heated microobject

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bykov, A. A.; Kutuza, I. B.; Zinin, P. V.; Machikhin, A. S.; Troyan, I. A.; Bulatov, K. M.; Batshev, V. I.; Mantrova, Y. V.; Gaponov, M. I.; Prakapenka, V. B.; Sharma, S. K.

2018-01-01

Recently it has been shown that it is possible to measure the two-dimensional distribution of the surface temperature of microscopic specimens. The main component of the system is a tandem imaging acousto-optical tunable filter synchronized with a video camera. In this report, we demonstrate that combining the laser heating system with a tandem imaging acousto-optical tunable filter allows measurement of the temperature distribution under laser heating of the platinum plates as well as a visualization of the infrared laser beam, that is widely used for laser heating in diamond anvil cells.

Nano-optomechanical characterization of surface-plasmon-based tunable filter integrated with comb-drive actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honma, H.; Mitsudome, M.; Ishida, M.; Sawada, K.; Takahashi, K.

2017-03-01

We report a tunable plasmonic color filter consisting of a metamaterial periodic grating and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator. An aluminum subwavelength grating is integrated with electrostatic comb-drive actuators to expand the metal subwavelength period, which allows continuous control of the excitation wavelength of surface plasmons (SPs). We develop a batch fabrication process by employing a liftoff technique using an electron beam resist altered by the electron dose depending on different aspect ratios (length/width) for various components such as the subwavelength grating, nanohinge flexural suspensions, and comb fingers. We successfully demonstrate a continuous shift in the excitation wavelength over the 514-635 nm range by nanopitch expansion. The design margin of the grating period for SP excitation is evaluated by comparing the experimental pitch variation and theoretically calculated values. The resonance frequency of the tunable filter is optically measured to be approximately 10 kHz. The optically and mechanically obtained values agree well with the theory of electrostatic actuation and finite-difference time-domain simulation.

Tunable Physical Properties of Ethylcellulose/Gelatin Composite Nanofibers by Electrospinning.

PubMed

Liu, Yuyu; Deng, Lingli; Zhang, Cen; Feng, Fengqin; Zhang, Hui

2018-02-28

In this work, the ethylcellulose/gelatin blends at various weight ratios in water/ethanol/acetic acid solution were electrospun to fabricate nanofibers with tunable physical properties. The solution compatibility was predicted based on Hansen solubility parameters and evaluated by rheological measurements. The physical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, porosity, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle. Results showed that the entangled structures among ethylcellulose and gelatin chains through hydrogen bonds gave rise to a fine morphology of the composite fibers with improved thermal stability. The fibers with higher gelatin ratio (75%), possessed hydrophilic surface (water contact angle of 53.5°), and adequate water uptake ability (1234.14%), while the fibers with higher ethylcellulose proportion (75%) tended to be highly water stable with a hydrophobic surface (water contact angle of 129.7°). This work suggested that the composite ethylcellulose/gelatin nanofibers with tunable physical properties have potentials as materials for bioactive encapsulation, food packaging, and filtration applications.

Engineering tunable bio-inspired polymeric coatings for amphiphobic fibrous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyola-Reynoso, Stephanie

Chemical grafting has been widely used to modify the surface properties of materials, especially surface energy for controlled wetting, because of the resilience of such coatings/modifications. Reagents with multiple reactive sites have been used with the expectation that a monolayer will form. The step-growth polymerization mechanism, however, suggests the possibility of gel formation for hydrolysable moieties in the presence of physisorbed water. In the following chapters, we demonstrate that using alkyltrichlorosilanes (trivalent [3 reactive sites]) in the surface modification of a cellulosic material (paper) does not yield a monolayer but rather gives surface-bound polymeric particles. We infer that the presence of physisorbed (surface-bound) water allows for polymerization (or oligomerization) of the silane, prior to its attachment on the surface. Surface energy mismatch between the hydrophobic tails of the growing polymer and any unreacted bound water leads to the assembly of the polymerizing material into spherical particles to minimize surface tension. By varying paper grammage (16.2-201.4 g/m2), we varied the accessible surface area and thus the amount of surface-adsorbed water, allowing us to control the ratio of the silane to the bound water. Using this approach, polymeric particles were formed on the surface of cellulose fibers ranging from 70 nm to a film. The hydrophobicity of the surface, as determined by water contact angles, correlates with particle sizes (p < 0.001, Student t-test), and, hence, the hydrophobicity can be tuned (contact angle between 94° and 149°). Using a model structure of a house, we demonstrated that as a result of this modification, cardboard houses can be rendered self-cleaning or tolerant to surface running water. Each of the chapters below supports the mechanism via a series of applications, material characterization, and/or, smart engineering.

Understanding oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane on Co 3O 4 nanorods from density functional theory

DOE PAGES

Fung, Victor; Tao, Franklin; Jiang, De-en

2016-05-20

Co 3O 4 is a metal oxide catalyst with weak, tunable M–O bonds promising for catalysis. Here, density functional theory (DFT) is used to study the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane on Co 3O 4 nanorods based on the preferred surface orientation (111) from the experimental electron-microscopy image. The pathway and energetics of the full catalytic cycle including the first and second C–H bond cleavages, hydroxyl clustering, water formation, and oxygen-site regeneration are determined. We find that both lattice O and Co may participate as active sites in the dehydrogenation, with the lattice-O pathway being favored. Here, we identify themore » best ethane ODH pathway based on the overall energy profiles of several routes. We identify that water formation from the lattice oxygen has the highest energy barrier and is likely a rate-determining step. This work of the complete catalytic cycle of ethane ODH will allow further study into tuning the surface chemistry of Co 3O 4 nanorods for high selectivity of alkane ODH reactions.« less

Phase coherent transport in hybrid superconductor-topological insulator devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finck, Aaron

2015-03-01

Heterostructures of superconductors and topological insulators are predicted to host unusual zero energy bound states known as Majorana fermions, which can robustly store and process quantum information. Here, I will discuss our studies of such heterostructures through phase-coherent transport, which can act as a unique probe of Majorana fermions. We have extensively explored topological insulator Josephson junctions through SQUID and single-junction diffraction patterns, whose unusual behavior give evidence for low-energy Andreev bound states. In topological insulator devices with closely spaced normal and superconducting leads, we observe prominent Fabry-Perot oscillations, signifying gate-tunable, quasi-ballistic transport that can elegantly interact with Andreev reflection. Superconducting disks deposited on the surface of a topological insulator generate Aharonov-Bohm-like oscillations, giving evidence for unusual states lying near the interface between the superconductor and topological insulator surface. Our results point the way towards sophisticated interferometers that can detect and read out the state of Majorana fermions in topological systems. This work was done in collaboration with Cihan Kurter, Yew San Hor, and Dale Van Harlingen. We acknowledge funding from Microsoft Project Q.

High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Devices using Trap-Controlled Quantum-Dot Ink prepared via Phase-Transfer Exchange.

PubMed

Aqoma, Havid; Al Mubarok, Muhibullah; Hadmojo, Wisnu Tantyo; Lee, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Wook; Ahn, Tae Kyu; Oh, Seung-Hwan; Jang, Sung-Yeon

2017-05-01

Colloidal-quantum-dot (CQD) photovoltaic devices are promising candidates for low-cost power sources owing to their low-temperature solution processability and bandgap tunability. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) of >10% is achieved for these devices; however, there are several remaining obstacles to their commercialization, including their high energy loss due to surface trap states and the complexity of the multiple-step CQD-layer-deposition process. Herein, high-efficiency photovoltaic devices prepared with CQD-ink using a phase-transfer-exchange (PTE) method are reported. Using CQD-ink, the fabrication of active layers by single-step coating and the suppression of surface trap states are achieved simultaneously. The CQD-ink photovoltaic devices achieve much higher PCEs (10.15% with a certified PCE of 9.61%) than the control devices (7.85%) owing to improved charge drift and diffusion. Notably, the CQD-ink devices show much lower energy loss than other reported high-efficiency CQD devices. This result reveals that the PTE method is an effective strategy for controlling trap states in CQDs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coherent and tunable terahertz radiation from graphene surface plasmon polaritons excited by an electron beam

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

Liu, Shenggang, E-mail: liusg@uestc.edu.cn; Hu, Min; Chen, Xiaoxing

2014-05-19

Although surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) resonance in graphene can be tuned in the terahertz regime, transforming such SPPs into coherent terahertz radiation has not been achieved. Here, we propose a graphene-based coherent terahertz radiation source with greatly enhanced intensity. The radiation works at room temperature, it is tunable and can cover the whole terahertz regime. The radiation intensity generated with this method is 400 times stronger than that from SPPs at a conventional dielectric or semiconducting surface and is comparable to that from the most advanced photonics source such as a quantum cascade laser. The physical mechanism for this strongmore » radiation is presented. The phase diagrams defining the parameters range for the occurrence of radiation is also shown.« less

Room-temperature processing of CdSe quantum dots with tunable sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joo, So-Yeong; Jeong, Da-Woon; Lee, Chan-Gi; Kim, Bum-Sung; Park, Hyun-Su; Kim, Woo-Byoung

2017-06-01

In this work, CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with tunable sizes have been fabricated via photo-induced chemical etching at room temperature, and the related reaction mechanism was investigated. The surface of QDs was oxidized by the holes generated through photon irradiation of oxygen species, and the obtained oxide layer was dissolved in an aqueous solution of 3-amino-1-propanol (APOL) with an APOL:H2O volume ratio of 5:1. The generated electrons promoted QD surface interactions with amino groups, which ultimately passivated surface defects. The absorption and photoluminescence emission peaks of the produced QDs were clearly blue-shifted about 26 nm with increasing time, and the resulting quantum yield for an 8 h etched sample was increased from 20% to 26%, as compared to the initial sample.

Tunable and multi-channel perfect absorber based on graphene at mid-infrared region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, HaiYu; Xue, XiongXiong; Lin, Qi; Liu, GuiDong; Zhai, Xiang; Wang, LingLing

2018-05-01

A tunable, multi-channel plasmonic perfect absorber based on graphene is proposed. Simulated results reveal that the resonant wavelength can be effectively tuned in many ways (by changing the Fermi energy of graphene, radius of Si, or air gap between the Si and the graphene film). Furthermore, the multi-channel perfect absorber is obtained by changing the period of the system. Specifically, a high absorption is obtained by using a multilayer Bragg mirror in place of the metallic plate. We believe that such an absorber may have potential applications for multi-channel photodetectors, frequency selection, and electromagnetic-wave energy storage.

Tunable Holstein model with cold polar molecules

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

Herrera, Felipe; Krems, Roman V.

2011-11-15

We show that an ensemble of polar molecules trapped in an optical lattice can be considered as a controllable open quantum system. The coupling between collective rotational excitations and the motion of the molecules in the lattice potential can be controlled by varying the strength and orientation of an external dc electric field as well as the intensity of the trapping laser. The system can be described by a generalized Holstein Hamiltonian with tunable parameters and can be used as a quantum simulator of excitation energy transfer and polaron phenomena. We show that the character of excitation energy transfer canmore » be modified by tuning experimental parameters.« less

Electrically tunable metasurface based on Mie-type dielectric resonators.

PubMed

Su, Zhaoxian; Zhao, Qian; Song, Kun; Zhao, Xiaopeng; Yin, Jianbo

2017-02-21

In this paper, we have designed a metasurface based on electrically tunable Mie-type resonators and theoretically demonstrated its tunable response to electromagnetic waves with varying frequency. The metasurface consists of disk-like ferroelectric resonators arrayed on a metal film and the upper surface of resonators is covered by ion gel film which is transparent for incident electromagnetic wave. Using the metal film and ion gel film as electrodes, the permittivity of the resonators can be adjusted by an external electric field and, as a result, the reflection phase of the resonators can be dynamically adjusted in a relatively wide range. By programmable controlling the electric field strength applied on resonators of metasurface, a 2π phase ramp can be realized and, thereby, the arbitrary reflection behavior of incident waves with varied frequency is obtained. Because of the tunability, this metasurface can also be used to design adaptive metasurface lens and carpet cloak.

Micro-optofluidic Lenses: A review

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Nam-Trung

2010-01-01

This review presents a systematic perspective on the development of micro-optofluidic lenses. The progress on the development of micro-optofluidic lenses are illustrated by example from recent literature. The advantage of micro-optofluidic lenses over solid lens systems is their tunability without the use of large actuators such as servo motors. Depending on the relative orientation of light path and the substrate surface, micro-optofluidic lenses can be categorized as in-plane or out-of-plane lenses. However, this review will focus on the tunability of the lenses and categorizes them according to the concept of tunability. Micro-optofluidic lenses can be either tuned by the liquid in use or by the shape of the lens. Micro-optofluidic lenses with tunable shape are categorized according to the actuation schemes. Typical parameters of micro-optofluidic lenses reported recently are compared and discussed. Finally, perspectives are given for future works in this field. PMID:20714369

Electrically tunable metasurface based on Mie-type dielectric resonators

PubMed Central

Su, Zhaoxian; Zhao, Qian; Song, Kun; Zhao, Xiaopeng; Yin, Jianbo

2017-01-01

In this paper, we have designed a metasurface based on electrically tunable Mie-type resonators and theoretically demonstrated its tunable response to electromagnetic waves with varying frequency. The metasurface consists of disk-like ferroelectric resonators arrayed on a metal film and the upper surface of resonators is covered by ion gel film which is transparent for incident electromagnetic wave. Using the metal film and ion gel film as electrodes, the permittivity of the resonators can be adjusted by an external electric field and, as a result, the reflection phase of the resonators can be dynamically adjusted in a relatively wide range. By programmable controlling the electric field strength applied on resonators of metasurface, a 2π phase ramp can be realized and, thereby, the arbitrary reflection behavior of incident waves with varied frequency is obtained. Because of the tunability, this metasurface can also be used to design adaptive metasurface lens and carpet cloak. PMID:28220861

Electrically tunable metasurface based on Mie-type dielectric resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Zhaoxian; Zhao, Qian; Song, Kun; Zhao, Xiaopeng; Yin, Jianbo

2017-02-01

In this paper, we have designed a metasurface based on electrically tunable Mie-type resonators and theoretically demonstrated its tunable response to electromagnetic waves with varying frequency. The metasurface consists of disk-like ferroelectric resonators arrayed on a metal film and the upper surface of resonators is covered by ion gel film which is transparent for incident electromagnetic wave. Using the metal film and ion gel film as electrodes, the permittivity of the resonators can be adjusted by an external electric field and, as a result, the reflection phase of the resonators can be dynamically adjusted in a relatively wide range. By programmable controlling the electric field strength applied on resonators of metasurface, a 2π phase ramp can be realized and, thereby, the arbitrary reflection behavior of incident waves with varied frequency is obtained. Because of the tunability, this metasurface can also be used to design adaptive metasurface lens and carpet cloak.

Tunable non-interacting free-energy functionals: development and applications to low-density aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trickey, Samuel; Karasiev, Valentin

We introduce the concept of tunable orbital-free non-interacting free-energy density functionals and present a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) with a subset of parameters defined from constraints and a few free parameters. Those free parameters are tuned to reproduce reference Kohn-Sham (KS) static-lattice pressures for Al at T=8 kK for bulk densities between 0.6 and 2 g/cm3. The tuned functional then is used in OF molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for Al with densities between 0.1 and 2 g/cm3 and T between 6 and 50 kK to calculate the equation of state and generate configurations for electrical conductivity calculations. The tunable functional produces accurate results. Computationally it is very effective especially at elevated temperature. Kohn-Shiam calculations for such low densities are affordable only up to T=10 kK, while other OF approximations, including two-point functionals, fail badly in that regime. Work supported by US DoE Grant DE-SC0002139.

Moth eye-inspired anti-reflective surfaces for improved IR optical systems & visible LEDs fabricated with colloidal lithography and etching.

PubMed

Chan, Lesley W; Morse, Daniel E; Gordon, Michael J

2018-05-08

Near- and sub-wavelength photonic structures are used by numerous organisms (e.g. insects, cephalopods, fish, birds) to create vivid and often dynamically-tunable colors, as well as create, manipulate, or capture light for vision, communication, crypsis, photosynthesis, and defense. This review introduces the physics of moth eye (ME)-like, biomimetic nanostructures and discusses their application to reduce optical losses and improve efficiency of various optoelectronic devices, including photodetectors, photovoltaics, imagers, and light emitting diodes. Light-matter interactions at structured and heterogeneous surfaces over different length scales are discussed, as are the various methods used to create ME-inspired surfaces. Special interest is placed on a simple, scalable, and tunable method, namely colloidal lithography with plasma dry etching, to fabricate ME-inspired nanostructures in a vast suite of materials. Anti-reflective surfaces and coatings for IR devices and enhancing light extraction from visible light emitting diodes are highlighted.

Synthesis of layer-tunable graphene: A combined kinetic implantation and thermal ejection approach

DOE PAGES

Wang, Gang; Zhang, Miao; Liu, Su; ...

2015-05-04

Layer-tunable graphene has attracted broad interest for its potentials in nanoelectronics applications. However, synthesis of layer-tunable graphene by using traditional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method still remains a great challenge due to the complex experimental parameters and the carbon precipitation process. Herein, by performing ion implantation into a Ni/Cu bilayer substrate, the number of graphene layers, especially single or double layer, can be controlled precisely by adjusting the carbon ion implant fluence. The growth mechanism of the layer-tunable graphene is revealed by monitoring the growth process is observed that the entire implanted carbon atoms can be expelled towards the substratemore » surface and thus graphene with designed layer number can be obtained. Such a growth mechanism is further confirmed by theoretical calculations. The proposed approach for the synthesis of layer-tunable graphene offers more flexibility in the experimental conditions. Being a core technology in microelectronics processing, ion implantation can be readily implemented in production lines and is expected to expedite the application of graphene to nanoelectronics.« less

Development of an eye-safe solid-state tunable laser transmitter in the 1.4-1.5 μm wavelength region based on Cr4+:YAG crystal for lidar applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova-Mayor, Anna; Wulfmeyer, Volker; Weibring, Petter

2008-04-01

An experimental optimization of the efficiency of a gain switched tunable Cr4+:YAG laser at 10 Hz is described. The thermal lensing during pulsed operation was measured. Optimal performance occurred at a crystal temperature of 34 °C and resulted in an output energy of ~7 mJ and a pulse duration of ~35 ns. Tunability in the range of 1350-1500 nm, spectral linewidth of ~200 GHz, and M2<4 are demonstrated. The main laser material parameters are estimated. Such a laser could be employed in a laboratory-based nonscanning lidar system if a narrowband birefringent filter is installed. The tunability will permit the improvement of the Cr4+:YAG transmitter for water-vapor differential absorption lidar if injection seeding is applied.

Dynamically tunable implementation of electromagnetically induced transparency with two coupling graphene-nanostrips in terahertz region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Chang; Chen, Qing-Guo; Mei, Jin-Shuo; Yin, Jing-Hua

2018-03-01

In this paper, we numerically demonstrated a dynamically tunable implementation of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) response with two coupling graphene-nanostrips in terahertz region. Compared to the metal-based structures or separated graphene structures, the Fermi energies of proposed two coupling graphene-nanostrips can be independently tuned by changing bias voltage between the metallic pads and substrate, the EIT window which appears from the near-field coupling between two resonators can be dynamically tuned without reoptimizing and refabricating the structures. As a result, the EIT window has a significant tunable capacity which can realize a higher frequency modulation depth and control the amplitude of transmission peak at a fixed frequency; moreover, the group delay of transmission peak at a fixed frequency with the amplitude of over 0.95 could be dynamically tuned. These results would exhibit potential applications in modulators and tunable slow light devices.

Tunable Absorption System based on magnetorheological elastomers and Halbach array: design and testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocian, Mirosław; Kaleta, Jerzy; Lewandowski, Daniel; Przybylski, Michał

2017-08-01

In this paper, the systematic design, construction and testing of a Tunable Absorption System (TAS) incorporating magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) has been investigated. The TAS has been designed for energy absorption and mitigation of vibratory motions from an impact excitation. The main advantage of the designed TAS is that it has the ability to change and adapt to working conditions. Tunability can be realised through a change in the magnetic field caused by the change of an internal arrangement of permanent magnets within a double dipolar circular Halbach array. To show the capabilities of the tested system, experiments based on an impulse excitation have been performed. Significant changes of the TASs natural frequency and damping characteristics have been obtained. By incorporating magnetic tunability within the TAS a significant qualitative and quantitative change in the devices mechanical properties and performance were obtained.

Electric-Field-Induced Energy Tuning of On-Demand Entangled-Photon Emission from Self-Assembled Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiaxiang; Zallo, Eugenio; Höfer, Bianca; Chen, Yan; Keil, Robert; Zopf, Michael; Böttner, Stefan; Ding, Fei; Schmidt, Oliver G

2017-01-11

We explore a method to achieve electrical control over the energy of on-demand entangled-photon emission from self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). The device used in our work consists of an electrically tunable diode-like membrane integrated onto a piezoactuator, which is capable of exerting a uniaxial stress on QDs. We theoretically reveal that, through application of the quantum-confined Stark effect to QDs by a vertical electric field, the critical uniaxial stress used to eliminate the fine structure splitting of QDs can be linearly tuned. This feature allows experimental realization of a triggered source of energy-tunable entangled-photon emission. Our demonstration represents an important step toward realization of a solid-state quantum repeater using indistinguishable entangled photons in Bell state measurements.

Semiconductor detector with smoothly tunable effective thickness for the study of ionization loss by moderately relativistic electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shchagin, A. V.; Shul'ga, N. F.; Trofymenko, S. V.; Nazhmudinov, R. M.; Kubankin, A. S.

2016-11-01

The possibility of measurement of electrons ionization loss in Si layer of smoothly tunable thickness is shown in the proof-of-principle experiment. The Si surface-barrier detector with the depleted layer thickness controlled by the value of high voltage power supply has been used. Ionization loss spectra for electrons emitted by radioactive source 207Bi are presented and discussed. Experimental results for the most probable ionization loss in the Landau spectral peak are compared with theoretical calculations. The possibility of research of evolution of electromagnetic field of ultra-relativistic particles traversing media interface with the use of detectors with smoothly tunable thickness is proposed.

Low Profile Tunable Dipole Antennas Using BST Varactors for Biomedical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cure, David; Weller, Thomas; Price, Tony; Miranda, Felix A.

2013-01-01

In this presentation a 2.4 GHz low profile (lambda45) tunable dipole antenna is evaluated in the presence of a human core model (HCM) body phantom. The antenna uses a frequency selective surface (FSS) with interdigital barium strontium titanate (BST) varactor-tuned unit cells and its performance is compared to a similar low profile antenna that uses an FSS with semiconductor varactor diodes. The measured data of the antenna demonstrate tunability from 2.2 GHz to 2.55 GHz in free space and impedance match improvement in the presence of a HCM at different distances. This antenna has smaller size, lower cost and less weight compared to the semiconductor varactor diode counterpart.

Continuously tunable solution-processed organic semiconductor DFB lasers pumped by laser diode.

PubMed

Klinkhammer, Sönke; Liu, Xin; Huska, Klaus; Shen, Yuxin; Vanderheiden, Sylvia; Valouch, Sebastian; Vannahme, Christoph; Bräse, Stefan; Mappes, Timo; Lemmer, Uli

2012-03-12

The fabrication and characterization of continuously tunable, solution-processed distributed feedback (DFB) lasers in the visible regime is reported. Continuous thin film thickness gradients were achieved by means of horizontal dipping of several conjugated polymer and blended small molecule solutions on cm-scale surface gratings of different periods. We report optically pumped continuously tunable laser emission of 13 nm in the blue, 16 nm in the green and 19 nm in the red spectral region on a single chip respectively. Tuning behavior can be described with the Bragg-equation and the measured thickness profile. The laser threshold is low enough that inexpensive laser diodes can be used as pump sources.

Low Profile Tunable Dipole Antenna Using BST Varactors for Biomedical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2013-01-01

In this paper a 2.4 GHz low profile (lambda/47) tunable dipole antenna is evaluated in the presence of a human core model (HCM) body phantom. The antenna uses a frequency selective surface (FSS) with interdigital barium strontium titanate (BST) varactor-tuned unit cells and its performance is compared to a similar low profile antenna that uses an FSS with semiconductor varactor diodes. The measured data of the antenna demonstrate tunability from 2.2 GHz to 2.55 GHz in free space and impedance match improvement in the presence of a HCM at different distances. This antenna has smaller size, lower cost and less weight compared to the semiconductor varactor diode counterpart.

Geometry and surface controlled formation of nanoparticle helical ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Jonathan; Lawrence, Jimmy; Lee, Dong; Grason, Gregory; Emrick, Todd; Crosby, Alfred

2013-03-01

Helical structures are interesting because of their space efficiency, mechanical tunability and everyday uses in both the synthetic and natural world. In general, the mechanisms governing helix formation are limited to bilayer material systems and chiral molecular structures. However, in a special range of dimensions where surface energy dominates (i.e. high surface to volume ratio), geometry rather than specific materials can drive helical formation of thin asymmetric ribbons. In an evaporative assembly technique called flow coating, based from the commonly observed coffee ring effect, we create nanoparticle ribbons possessing non-rectangular nanoscale cross-sections. When released into a liquid medium of water, interfacial tension between the asymmetric ribbon and water balances with the elastic cost of bending to form helices with a preferred radius of curvature and a minimum pitch. We demonstrate that this is a universal mechanism that can be used with a wide range of materials, such as quantum dots, metallic nanoparticles, or polymers. Nanoparticle helical ribbons display excellent structural integrity with spring-like characteristics and can be extended high strains.

Residual ferroelectricity in barium strontium titanate thin film tunable dielectrics

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

Garten, L. M., E-mail: lmg309@psu.edu; Trolier-McKinstry, S.; Lam, P.

2014-07-28

Loss reduction is critical to develop Ba{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}TiO{sub 3} thin film tunable microwave dielectric components and dielectric energy storage devices. The presence of ferroelectricity, and hence the domain wall contributions to dielectric loss, will degrade the tunable performance in the microwave region. In this work, residual ferroelectricity—a persistent ferroelectric response above the global phase transition temperature—was characterized in tunable dielectrics using Rayleigh analysis. Chemical solution deposited Ba{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}TiO{sub 3} films, with relative tunabilities of 86% over 250 kV/cm at 100 kHz, demonstrated residual ferroelectricity 65 °C above the ostensible paraelectric transition temperature. Frequency dispersion observed in the dielectric temperature response wasmore » consistent with the presence of nanopolar regions as one source of residual ferroelectricity. The application of AC electric field for the Rayleigh analysis of these samples led to a doubling of the dielectric loss for fields over 10 kV/cm at room temperature.« less

Tunable evolutions of shock absorption and energy partitioning in magnetic granular chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Dingxin; Liu, Guijie; Sun, Lingyu

2018-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the tunable characteristics of shock waves propagating in one-dimensional magnetic granular chains at various chain lengths and magnetic flux densities. According to the Hertz contact theory and Maxwell principle, a discrete element model with coupling elastic and field-induced interaction potentials of adjacent magnetic grains is proposed. We also present hard-sphere approximation analysis to describe the energy partitioning features of magnetic granular chains. The results demonstrate that, for a fixed magnetic field strength, when the chain length is greater than two times of the wave width of the solitary wave, the chain length has little effect on the output energy of the system; for a fixed chain length, the shock absorption and energy partitioning features of magnetic granular chains are remarkably influenced by varying magnetic flux densities. This study implies that the magnetic granular chain is potential to construct adaptive shock absorption components for impulse mitigation.

Stabilization of ultrathin (hydroxy)oxide films on transition metal substrates for electrochemical energy conversion

DOE PAGES

Zeng, Zhenhua; Chang, Kee-Chul; Kubal, Joseph; ...

2017-05-08

Design of cost-effective electrocatalysts with enhanced stability and activity is of paramount importance for the next generation of energy conversion systems, including fuel cells and electrolyzers. However, electrocatalytic materials generally improve one of these properties at the expense of the other. Here, using Density Functional Theory calculations and electrochemical surface science measurements, we explore atomic-level features of ultrathin (hydroxy)oxide films on transition metal substrates and demonstrate that these films exhibit both excellent stability and activity for electrocatalytic applications. The films adopt structures with stabilities that significantly exceed bulk Pourbaix limits, including stoichiometries not found in bulk and properties that aremore » tunable by controlling voltage, film composition, and substrate identity. Using nickel (hydroxy)oxide/Pt(111) as an example, we further show how the films enhance activity for hydrogen evolution through a bifunctional effect. Finally, the results suggest design principles for a new class of electrocatalysts with simultaneously enhanced stability and activity for energy conversion.« less

Stabilization of ultrathin (hydroxy)oxide films on transition metal substrates for electrochemical energy conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Zhenhua; Chang, Kee-Chul; Kubal, Joseph; Markovic, Nenad M.; Greeley, Jeffrey

2017-06-01

Design of cost-effective electrocatalysts with enhanced stability and activity is of paramount importance for the next generation of energy conversion systems, including fuel cells and electrolysers. However, electrocatalytic materials generally improve one of these properties at the expense of the other. Here, using density functional theory calculations and electrochemical surface science measurements, we explore atomic-level features of ultrathin (hydroxy)oxide films on transition metal substrates and demonstrate that these films exhibit both excellent stability and activity for electrocatalytic applications. The films adopt structures with stabilities that significantly exceed bulk Pourbaix limits, including stoichiometries not found in bulk and properties that are tunable by controlling voltage, film composition, and substrate identity. Using nickel (hydroxy)oxide/Pt(111) as an example, we further show how the films enhance activity for hydrogen evolution through a bifunctional effect. The results suggest design principles for this class of electrocatalysts with simultaneously enhanced stability and activity for energy conversion.

Optical performance of a PDMS tunable lens with automatically controlled applied stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz-Felix, Angel S.; Santiago-Alvarado, Agustín.; Hernández-Méndez, Arturo; Reyes-Pérez, Emilio R.; Tepichín-Rodriguez, Eduardo

2016-09-01

The advances in the field of adaptive optics and in the fabrication of tunable optical components capable to automatically modify their physical features are of great interest in areas like machine vision, imaging systems, ophthalmology, etc. Such components like tunable lenses are used to reduce the overall size of optical setups like in small camera systems and even to imitate some biological functions made by the human eye. In this direction, in the last years we have been working in the development and fabrication of PDMS-made tunable lenses and in the design of special mechanical mounting systems to manipulate them. A PDMS-made tunable lens was previously designed by us, following the scheme reported by Navarro et al. in 1985, in order to mimic the accommodation process made by the crystalline lens of the human eye. The design included a simulation of the application of radial stress onto the lens and it was shown that the effective focal length was indeed changed. In this work we show the fabrication process of this particular tunable lens and an optimized mechanism that is able to automatically change the curvature of both surfaces of the lens by the application of controlled stress. We also show results of a study and analysis of aberrations performed to the Solid Elastic Lens (SEL).

Nanosecond laser ablated copper superhydrophobic surface with tunable ultrahigh adhesion and its renewability with low temperature annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, An; Liu, Wenwen; Xue, Wei; Yang, Huan; Cao, Yu

2018-03-01

Recently, metallic superhydrophobic surfaces with ultrahigh adhesion have got plentiful attention on account of their significance in scientific researches and industrial applications like droplet transport, drug delivery and novel microfluidic devices. However, the long lead time and transience hindered its in-depth development and industrial application. In this work, nanosecond laser ablation was carried out to construct grid of micro-grooves on copper surface, whereafter, by applying fast ethanol assisted low-temperature annealing, we obtained surface with superhydrophobicity and ultrahigh adhesion within hours. And the ultrahigh adhesion force was found tunable by varying the groove spacing. Using ultrasonic cleaning as the simulation of natural wear and tear in service, the renewability of superhydrophobicity was also investigated, and the result shows that the contact angle can rehabilitate promptly by the processing of ethanol assisted low-temperature annealing, which gives a promising fast and cheap circuitous strategy to realize the long wish durable metallic superhydrophobic surfaces in practical applications.

Passively Q-switched wavelength-tunable 1-μm fiber lasers with tapered-fiber-based black phosphorus saturable absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Huaqing; Wang, Qi; Wang, Dongdong; Li, Li

2018-03-01

In this paper, we demonstrated passively Q-switched wavelength-tunable 1-μm fiber lasers utilizing few-layer black phosphorus saturable absorbers. The few-layer BP was deposited onto the tapered fibers by an optically driven process. The wavelength tunability was achieved with a fiber Sagnac loop comprised of a piece of polarization maintaining fiber and a polarization controller. Stable Q-switching laser operations were observed at wavelengths ranging from 1040.5 to 1044.6 nm at threshold pump power of 220 mW. Maximal pulse energy of 141.27 nJ at a repetition rate of 63 kHz was recorded under pump power of 445 mW.

Diode-pumped continuous wave tunable and graphene Q-switched Tm:LSO lasers.

PubMed

Feng, T L; Zhao, S Z; Yang, K J; Li, G Q; Li, D C; Zhao, J; Qiao, W C; Hou, J; Yang, Y; He, J L; Zheng, L H; Wang, Q G; Xu, X D; Su, L B; Xu, J

2013-10-21

We have investigated the lasing characteristics of Tm:LSO crystal in three operation regimes: continuous wave (CW), wavelength tunable and passive Q-switching based on graphene. In CW regime, a maximum output power of 0.65 W at 2054.9 nm with a slope efficiency of 21% was achieved. With a quartz plate, a broad wavelength tunable range of 145 nm was obtained, corresponding to a FWHM of 100 nm. By using a graphene saturable absorber mirror, the passively Q-switched Tm:LSO laser produced pulses with duration of 7.8 μs at 2030.8 nm under a repetition rate of 7.6 kHz, corresponding to pulse energy of 14.0 μJ.

Tunable bi-functional photonic device based on one-dimensional photonic crystal infiltrated with a bistable liquid-crystal layer.

PubMed

Wu, Chong-Yin; Zou, Yi-Hong; Timofeev, Ivan; Lin, Yu-Ting; Zyryanov, Victor Ya; Hsu, Jy-Shan; Lee, Wei

2011-04-11

We investigated the optical properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal infiltrated with a bistable chiral tilted homeotropic nematic liquid crystal as the central defect layer. By modulating the nematic director orientation with applied voltage, the electrical tunability of the defect modes was observed in the transmission spectrum. The composite not only is a general tunable device but also involves the green concept in that it can operate in two stable states at 0 V. Under the parallel-polarizer scheme, the spectral characteristics suggest a potential application for this device as an energy-efficient multichannel optical switch. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Fine-tunable plasma nano-machining for fabrication of 3D hollow nanostructures: SERS application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrvar, L.; Hajihoseini, H.; Mahmoodi, H.; Tavassoli, S. H.; Fathipour, M.; Mohseni, S. M.

2017-08-01

Novel processing sequences for the fabrication of artificial nanostructures are in high demand for various applications. In this paper, we report on a fine-tunable nano-machining technique for the fabrication of 3D hollow nanostructures. This technique originates from redeposition effects occurring during Ar dry etching of nano-patterns. Different geometries of honeycomb, double ring, nanotube, cone and crescent arrays have been successfully fabricated from various metals such as Au, Ag, Pt and Ti. The geometrical parameters of the 3D hollow nanostructures can be straightforwardly controlled by tuning the discharge plasma pressure and power. The structure and morphology of nanostructures are probed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Finally, a Ag nanotube array was assayed for application in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), resulting in an enhancement factor (EF) of 5.5 × 105, as an experimental validity proof consistent with the presented simulation framework. Furthermore, it was found that the theoretical EF value for the honeycomb array is in the order of 107, a hundred times greater than that found in nanotube array.

Tunable single and double emission semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots: a multianalyte sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnesh, Ratneshwar Kumar; Singh Mehata, Mohan

2018-07-01

We have prepared stable colloidal CdTe and CdTe/ZnS core–shell quantum dots (QDs) using hot injection chemical route. The developed CdTe QDs emit tunable single and dual photoluminescence (PL) bands, originating from the direct band edge and the surface state of QDs, as evident by the steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy. The developed CdTe and CdTe/ZnS QDs act as optical sensors for the detection of metal ions (e.g., Fe2+ and Pb2+) in the feed water. The PL quenching in the presence of analytes has been examined by both the steady-state and time-resolved PL spectroscopy. The linear Stern–Volmer (S–V) plots obtained for PL intensity and lifetime as a function of metal ion concentration demonstrates the diffusion-mediated collisional quenching as a dominant mechanism together with the possibility of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Thus, the prepared core and core–shell QDs which cover a broad spectral range of white light with high quantum yield (QY) are highly sensitive to the detection of metal ions in feed water and are also important for biological applications (Ratnesh and Mehata 2017 Spectrochim. Acta A: Mol. Biomol. Spectro. 179 201–10).

Tuning Transpiration by Interfacial Solar Absorber-Leaf Engineering.

PubMed

Zhuang, Shendong; Zhou, Lin; Xu, Weichao; Xu, Ning; Hu, Xiaozhen; Li, Xiuqiang; Lv, Guangxin; Zheng, Qinghui; Zhu, Shining; Wang, Zhenlin; Zhu, Jia

2018-02-01

Plant transpiration, a process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially leaves, consumes a large component of the total continental precipitation (≈48%) and significantly influences global water distribution and climate. To date, various chemical and/or biological explorations have been made to tune the transpiration but with uncertain environmental risks. In recent years, interfacial solar steam/vapor generation is attracting a lot of attention for achieving high energy transfer efficiency. Various optical and thermal designs at the solar absorber-water interface for potential applications in water purification, seawater desalination, and power generation appear. In this work, the concept of interfacial solar vapor generation is extended to tunable plant transpiration by showing for the first time that the transpiration efficiency can also be enhanced or suppressed through engineering the solar absorber-leaf interface. By tuning the solar absorption of membrane in direct touch with green leaf, surface temperature of green leaf will change accordingly because of photothermal effect, thus the transpiration efficiency as well as temperature and relative humidity in the surrounding environment will be tuned. This tunable transpiration by interfacial absorber-leaf engineering can open an alternative avenue to regulate local atmospheric temperature, humidity, and eventually hydrologic cycle.

Reversible structural modulation of Fe-Pt bimetallic surfaces and its effect on reactivity.

PubMed

Ma, Teng; Fu, Qiang; Su, Hai-Yan; Liu, Hong-Yang; Cui, Yi; Wang, Zhen; Mu, Ren-Tao; Li, Wei-Xue; Bao, Xin-He

2009-05-11

Tunable surface: The surface structure of the Fe-Pt bimetallic catalyst can be reversibly modulated between the iron-oxide-rich Pt surface and the Pt-skin structure with subsurface Fe via alternating reduction and oxidation treatments (see figure). The regenerated active Pt-skin structure is active in reactions involving CO and/or O.

Precise Control Over Morphology and Density of Metal and Transition Metal Nanostructures for Sensing and Energy Related Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Minh

Metallic nanostructures are of great interest due to their applicability in various modern technologies, such as catalysis, sensing, and optoelectronics. In this work, we employed three solution-based methods, including colloidal suspension synthesis, modified galvanic displacement, and electrodeposition, to synthesize nanostructured metals and transition metals, including gold (Au), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). Our focus was to establish process-structure-property relationship and explore their applicability in the field of sensing and clean energy generation. More precisely we established relationships between experimental parameters, such as temperature, applied potential, electrolyte pH, reactant concentration, additive, and the number of deposition cycles, and the characteristics of the nanostructures, such as morphology, density, size, and size distribution. Our results indicated that the nanostructures were tunable by adjusting the process parameters. This provided insight into the growth mechanisms of the metallic nanostructures. Since properties of the nanostructures are tunable by controlling the structure, our results provided researchers with additional tools to obtain nanomaterials with desired properties for specific applications. The materials synthesized by our methods were utilized to as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and as photocathodes for photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen. The results showed that the performances of our materials were either promising or compatible with those reported in the literature, thus bringing new opportunities to the development of low-cost, high-performance, and flexible nanomaterials for the current and future technologies.

Pd n Ag (4-n) and Pd n Pt (4-n) clusters on MgO (100): a density functional surface genetic algorithm investigation

DOE PAGES

Heard, Christopher J.; Heiles, Sven; Vajda, Stefan; ...

2014-08-07

We employed the novel surface mode of the Birmingham Cluster Genetic Algorithm (S-BCGA) for the global optimisation of noble metal tetramers upon an MgO(100) substrate at the GGA-DFT level of theory. The effect of element identity and alloying in surface-bound neutral subnanometre clusters is determined by energetic comparison between all compositions of Pd nAg (4-n) and Pd nPt (4-n). And while the binding strengths to the surface increase in the order Pt > Pd > Ag, the excess energy profiles suggest a preference for mixed clusters for both cases. The binding of CO is also modelled, showing that the adsorptionmore » site can be predicted solely by electrophilicity. Comparison to CO binding on a single metal atom shows a reversal of the 5s-d activation process for clusters, weakening the cluster surface interaction on CO adsorption. Charge localisation determines homotop, CO binding and surface site preferences. Furthermore, the electronic behaviour, which is intermediate between molecular and metallic particles allows for tunable features in the subnanometre size range.« less

Advanced Ignition in Supersonic Airflow by Tunable Plasma System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firsov, A. A.; Dolgov, E. V.; Leonov, S. B.; Yarantsev, D. A.

2017-10-01

The plasma-based technique was studied for ignition and flameholding in a supersonic airflow in different laboratories for a long time. It was shown that flameholding of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon fuel is feasible by means of surface DC discharge without employing mechanical flameholders in a supersonic combustion chamber. However, a high power consumption may limit application of this method in a real apparatus. This experimental and computational work explores a distributed plasma system, which allows reducing the total energy consumption and extending the life cycle of the electrode system. Due to the circuit flexibility, this approach may be potentially enriched with feedbacks for design of a close loop control system.

Green synthesis and characterization of size tunable silica-capped gold core-shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wangoo, Nishima; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Wu, Jin-Song; Bhasin, Aman K. K.; Suri, C. R.; Bhasin, K. K.; Dravid, Vinayak

2012-08-01

Silica-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@SiO2) with controlled silica-shell thickness were prepared by a modified Stober's method using 10-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as seeds. The AuNPs were silica-coated with a sol-gel reaction using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source and ammonia as a catalyst. An increase in TEOS concentration resulted in an increase in shell thickness. The NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning near-field ultrasound holography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The method required no surface modification and the synthesized core shell nanoparticles can be used for various types of biological applications.

Self-phase modulation enabled, wavelength-tunable ultrafast fiber laser sources: an energy scalable approach.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Li, Chen; Zhang, Zhigang; Kärtner, Franz X; Chang, Guoqing

2016-07-11

We propose and demonstrate a new approach to implement a wavelength-tunable ultrafast fiber laser source suitable for multiphoton microscopy. We employ fiber-optic nonlinearities to broaden a narrowband optical spectrum generated by an Yb-fiber laser system and then use optical bandpass filters to select the leftmost or rightmost spectral lobes from the broadened spectrum. Detailed numerical modeling shows that self-phase modulation dominates the spectral broadening, self-steepening tends to blue shift the broadened spectrum, and stimulated Raman scattering is minimal. We also find that optical wave breaking caused by fiber dispersion slows down the shift of the leftmost/rightmost spectral lobes and therefore limits the wavelength tuning range of the filtered spectra. We show both numerically and experimentally that shortening the fiber used for spectral broadening while increasing the input pulse energy can overcome this dispersion-induced limitation; as a result, the filtered spectral lobes have higher power, constituting a powerful and practical approach for energy scaling the resulting femtosecond sources. We use two commercially available photonic crystal fibers to verify the simulation results. More specific, use of 20-mm fiber NL-1050-ZERO-2 enables us to implement an Yb-fiber laser based ultrafast source, delivering femtosecond (70-120 fs) pulses tunable from 825 nm to 1210 nm with >1 nJ pulse energy.

Electrically tunable crossed Andreev reflection in a ferromagnet–superconductor–ferromagnet junction on a topological insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kunhua; Cheng, Qiang

2018-07-01

We investigate the crossed Andreev reflection in a ferromagnet–superconductor–ferromagnet junction on the surface of a topological insulator, where the magnetizations in the left and right leads are perpendicular to the surface. We find that the nonlocal transport process can be pure crossed Andreev reflection or pure elastic cotunneling, and the switch between the two processes can be controlled electrically. Pure crossed Andreev reflection appears for all bias voltages in the superconducting energy gap, which is independent of the configuration of the magnetizations in the two leads. The spin of the crossed Andreev reflected hole could be parallel to the spin of the incident electron, which is brought by the spin-triplet pairing correlation. The average transmission probability of crossed Andreev reflection can be larger than 90%, so a high efficiency nonlocal splitting of Cooper pairs can be generated, and turned on and off electrically.

Asymmetric mass acquisition in LaBi. Topological semimetal candidate

DOE PAGES

Wu, Yun; Kong, Tai; Wang, Lin-Lin; ...

2016-08-18

We use our high resolution He-lamp-based, tunable laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the electronic properties of LaBi, a binary system that was proposed to be a member of a new family of topological semimetals. Both bulk and surface bands are present in the spectra. Furthermore, the dispersion of the surface state is highly unusual. It resembles a Dirac cone, but upon closer inspection we can clearly detect an energy gap. The bottom band follows roughly a parabolic dispersion. The dispersion of the top band remains very linear, “V” -shape like, with the tipmore » approaching very closely to the extrapolated location of Dirac point. Finally, such asymmetric mass acquisition is highly unusual and opens a possibility of a new topological phenomenon that has yet to be understood.« less

Nanowire membrane-based nanothermite: towards processable and tunable interfacial diffusion for solid state reactions.

PubMed

Yang, Yong; Wang, Peng-peng; Zhang, Zhi-cheng; Liu, Hui-ling; Zhang, Jingchao; Zhuang, Jing; Wang, Xun

2013-01-01

Interfacial diffusion is of great importance in determining the performance of solid-state reactions. For nanometer sized particles, some solid-state reactions can be triggered accidently by mechanical stress owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio compared with the bulk ones. Therefore, a great challenge is the control of interfacial diffusion for solid state reactions, especially for energetic materials. Here we demonstrate, through the example of nanowire-based thermite membrane, that the thermite solid-state reaction can be easily tuned via the introduction of low-surface-energy coating layer. Moreover, this silicon-coated thermite membrane exhibit controlled wetting behavior ranging from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic and, simultaneously, to significantly reduce the friction sensitivity of thermite membrane. This effect enables to increase interfacial resistance by increasing the amount of coating material. Indeed, our results described here make it possible to tune the solid-state reactions through the manipulation of interfacial diffusion between the reactants.

Nanowire Membrane-based Nanothermite: towards Processable and Tunable Interfacial Diffusion for Solid State Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yong; Wang, Peng-Peng; Zhang, Zhi-Cheng; Liu, Hui-Ling; Zhang, Jingchao; Zhuang, Jing; Wang, Xun

2013-04-01

Interfacial diffusion is of great importance in determining the performance of solid-state reactions. For nanometer sized particles, some solid-state reactions can be triggered accidently by mechanical stress owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio compared with the bulk ones. Therefore, a great challenge is the control of interfacial diffusion for solid state reactions, especially for energetic materials. Here we demonstrate, through the example of nanowire-based thermite membrane, that the thermite solid-state reaction can be easily tuned via the introduction of low-surface-energy coating layer. Moreover, this silicon-coated thermite membrane exhibit controlled wetting behavior ranging from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic and, simultaneously, to significantly reduce the friction sensitivity of thermite membrane. This effect enables to increase interfacial resistance by increasing the amount of coating material. Indeed, our results described here make it possible to tune the solid-state reactions through the manipulation of interfacial diffusion between the reactants.

Tailoring surface plasmon resonance and dipole cavity plasmon modes of scattering cross section spectra on the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod

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

Chou Chau, Yuan-Fong, E-mail: chou.fong@ubd.edu.bn; Lim, Chee Ming; Kumara, N. T. R. N.

Tunable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and dipole cavity plasmon modes of the scattering cross section (SCS) spectra on the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod have been numerically investigated by using the finite element method. Various effects, such as the influence of SCS spectra under x- and y-polarizations on the surface of the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod, are discussed in detail. With the single gold-shell nanorod, one can independently tune the relative SCS spectrum width by controlling the rod length and rod diameter, and the surface scattering by varying the shell thickness and polarization direction, as well as the dipole peak energy. These behaviorsmore » are consistent with the properties of localized SPRs and offer a way to optically control and produce selected emission wavelengths from the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod. The electric field and magnetic distributions provide us a qualitative idea of the geometrical properties of the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod on plasmon resonance.« less

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

Huang, Runhong; Fung, Victor; Zhang, Yafen

Perovskites are interesting materials for catalysis due to their great tunability. However, the correlation of many reaction processes to the termination of a perovskite surface is still unclear. In this paper, we use the methanol coupling reaction on the SrTiO 3(100) surface as a probe reaction to investigate direct C–C coupling from a computational perspective. We use density functional theory to assess methanol adsorption, C–H activation, and direct C–C coupling reactions on the SrTiO 3(100) surface of different terminations. We find that, although methanol molecules dissociatively adsorb on both A and B terminations with similar strength, the dehydrogenation and C–Cmore » coupling reactions have significantly lower activation energies on the B termination than on the A termination. The predicted formation of methoxy and acetate on the SrTiO 3(100) B termination can well explain the ambient-pressure XPS data of methanol on the single-crystal SrTiO 3(100) surface at 250 °C. Finally, this work suggests that a choice of B termination of perovskites would be beneficial for the C–C coupling reaction of methanol.« less

Surface-Cross-Linked Micelles as Multifunctionalized Organic Nanoparticles for Controlled Release, Light Harvesting, and Catalysis

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Surfactant micelles are dynamic entities with a rapid exchange of monomers. By “clicking” tripropargylammonium-containing surfactants with diazide cross-linkers, we obtained surface-cross-linked micelles (SCMs) that could be multifunctionalized for different applications. They triggered membrane fusion through tunable electrostatic interactions with lipid bilayers. Antenna chromophores could be installed on them to create artificial light-harvesting complexes with efficient energy migration among tens to hundreds of chromophores. When cleavable cross-linkers were used, the SCMs could break apart in response to redox or pH signals, ejecting entrapped contents quickly as a result of built-in electrostatic stress. They served as caged surfactants whose surface activity was turned on by environmental stimuli. They crossed cell membranes readily. Encapsulated fluorophores showed enhanced photophysical properties including improved quantum yields and greatly expanded Stokes shifts. Catalytic groups could be installed on the surface or in the interior, covalently attached or physically entrapped. As enzyme mimics, the SCMs enabled rational engineering of the microenvironment around the catalysts to afford activity and selectivity not possible with conventional catalysts. PMID:27181610

Tailoring surface plasmon resonance and dipole cavity plasmon modes of scattering cross section spectra on the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou Chau, Yuan-Fong; Lim, Chee Ming; Lee, Chuanyo; Huang, Hung Ji; Lin, Chun-Ting; Kumara, N. T. R. N.; Yoong, Voo Nyuk; Chiang, Hai-Pang

2016-09-01

Tunable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and dipole cavity plasmon modes of the scattering cross section (SCS) spectra on the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod have been numerically investigated by using the finite element method. Various effects, such as the influence of SCS spectra under x- and y-polarizations on the surface of the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod, are discussed in detail. With the single gold-shell nanorod, one can independently tune the relative SCS spectrum width by controlling the rod length and rod diameter, and the surface scattering by varying the shell thickness and polarization direction, as well as the dipole peak energy. These behaviors are consistent with the properties of localized SPRs and offer a way to optically control and produce selected emission wavelengths from the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod. The electric field and magnetic distributions provide us a qualitative idea of the geometrical properties of the single solid-gold/gold-shell nanorod on plasmon resonance.

Nanorice Particles: Hybrid Plasmonic Nanostructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Fei (Inventor); Halas, Nancy J. (Inventor); Nordlander, Peter (Inventor); Brandl, Daniel (Inventor); Wang, Hui (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A new hybrid nanoparticle, i.e., a nanorice particle, which combines the intense local fields of nanorods with the highly tunable plasmon resonances of nanoshells, is described herein. This geometry possesses far greater structural tunability than previous nanoparticle geometries, along with much larger local field enhancements and far greater sensitivity as a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) nanosensor than presently known dielectric-conductive material nanostructures. In an embodiment, a nanoparticle comprises a prolate spheroid-shaped core having a first aspect ratio. The nanoparticle also comprises at least one conductive shell surrounding said prolate spheroid-shaped core. The nanoparticle has a surface plasmon resonance sensitivity of at least 600 nm RIU(sup.-1). Methods of making the disclosed nanorice particles are also described herein.

Experimental demonstration of tunable directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons with a subwavelength metallic double slit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaowei; Tan, Qiaofeng; Bai, Benfeng; Jin, Guofan

2011-06-01

We demonstrate experimentally the directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a metal film by a subwavelength double slit under backside illumination, based on the interference of SPPs generated by the two slits. By varying the incident angle, the SPPs can be tunably directed into two opposite propagating directions with a predetermined splitting ratio. Under certain incident angle, unidirectional SPP excitation can be achieved. This compact directional SPP coupler is potentially useful for many on-chip applications. As an example, we show the integration of the double-slit couplers with SPP Bragg mirrors, which can effectively realize selective coupling of SPPs into different ports in an integrated plasmonic chip.

Tunable and highly reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates made from large-scale nanoparticle arrays based on periodically poled LiNbO3 templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoyan; Kitamura, Kenji; Yu, Qiuming; Xu, Jiajie; Osada, Minoru; Takahiro, Nagata; Li, Jiangyu; Cao, Guozhong

2013-10-01

This work describes novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on ferroelectric periodically poled LiNbO3 templates. The templates comprise silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), the size and position of which are tailored by ferroelectric lithography. The substrate has uniform and large sampling areas that show SERS effective with excellent signal reproducibility, for which the fabrication protocol is advantageous in its simplicity. We demonstrate ferroelectric-based SERS substrates with particle sizes ranging from 30 to 70 nm and present tunable SERS effect from Raman active 4-mercaptopyridine molecules attached to AgNPs when excited by a laser source at 514 nm.

Electrically Tunable Nd:YAG waveguide laser based on Graphene

PubMed Central

Ma, Linan; Tan, Yang; Akhmadaliev, Shavkat; Zhou, Shengqiang; Chen, Feng

2016-01-01

We demonstrate a tunable hybrid Graphene-Nd:YAG cladding waveguide laser exploiting the electro-optic and the Joule heating effects of Graphene. A cladding Nd:YAG waveguide was fabricated by the ion irradiation. The multi-layer graphene were transferred onto the waveguide surface as the saturable absorber to get the Q-switched pulsed laser oscillation in the waveguide. Composing with appropriate electrodes, graphene based capacitance and heater were formed on the surface of the Nd:YAG waveguide. Through electrical control of graphene, the state of the hybrid waveguide laser was turned on or off. And the laser operation of the hybrid waveguide was electrically tuned between the continuous wave laser and the nanosecond pulsed laser. PMID:27833114

Negative stiffness honeycombs as tunable elastic metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldsberry, Benjamin M.; Haberman, Michael R.

2018-03-01

Acoustic and elastic metamaterials are media with a subwavelength structure that behave as effective materials displaying atypical effective dynamic properties. These material systems are of interest because the design of their sub-wavelength structure allows for direct control of macroscopic wave dispersion. One major design limitation of most metamaterial structures is that the dynamic response cannot be altered once the microstructure is manufactured. However, the ability to modify wave propagation in the metamaterial with an external stimulus is highly desirable for numerous applications and therefore remains a significant challenge in elastic metamaterials research. In this work, a honeycomb structure composed of a doubly periodic array of curved beams, known as a negative stiffness honeycomb (NSH), is analyzed as a tunable elastic metamaterial. The nonlinear static elastic response that results from large deformations of the NSH unit cell leads to a large variation in linear elastic wave dispersion associated with infinitesimal motion superposed on the externally imposed pre-strain. A finite element model is utilized to model the static deformation and subsequent linear wave motion at the pre-strained state. Analysis of the slowness surface and group velocity demonstrates that the NSH exhibits significant tunability and a high degree of anisotropy which can be used to guide wave energy depending on static pre-strain levels. In addition, it is shown that partial band gaps exist where only longitudinal waves propagate. The NSH therefore behaves as a meta-fluid, or pentamode metamaterial, which may be of use for applications of transformation elastodynamics such as cloaking and gradient index lens devices.

Temporal dynamics of frequency-tunable graphene-based plasmonic grating structures for ultra-broadband terahertz communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jornet, Josep Miquel; Thawdar, Ngwe; Woo, Ethan; Andrello, Michael A.

2017-05-01

Terahertz (THz) communication is envisioned as a key wireless technology to satisfy the need for 1000x faster wireless data rates. To date, major progress on both electronic and photonic technologies are finally closing the so-called THz gap. Among others, graphene-based plasmonic nano-devices have been proposed as a way to enable ultra-broadband communications above 1THz. The unique dynamic complex conductivity of graphene enables the propagation of Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) waves at THz frequencies. In addition, the conductivity of graphene and, thus, the SPP propagation properties, can be dynamically tuned by means of electrostatic biasing or material doping. This result opens the door to frequency-tunable devices for THz communications. In this paper, the temporal dynamics of graphene-enhanced metallic grating structures used for excitation and detection of SPP waves at THz frequencies are analytically and numerically modeled. More specifically, the response of a metallic grating structure built on top of a graphene-based heterostructure is analyzed by taking into account the grating period and duty cycle and the Fermi energy of the graphene layer. Then, the interfacial charge transfer between a metallic back-gate and the graphene layer in a metal/dielectric/graphene stack is analytically modeled, and the range of achievable Fermi energies is determined. Finally, the rate at which the Fermi energy in graphene can be tuned is estimated starting from the transmission line model of graphene. Extensive numerical and simulation results with COMSOL Multi-physics are provided. The results show that the proposed structure enables dynamic frequency systems with THz bandwidths, thus, enabling resilient communication techniques such as time-hopping THz modulations.

Rational design of competitive electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in hydrogen fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolbov, Sergey; Alcántara Ortigoza, Marisol

2012-02-01

The large-scale application of one of the most promising clean and renewable sources of energy, hydrogen fuel cells, still awaits efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurring on the cathode. We demonstrate that truly rational design renders electrocatalysts possessing both qualities. By unifying the knowledge on surface morphology, composition, electronic structure and reactivity, we solve that sandwich-like structures are an excellent choice for optimization. Their constituting species couple synergistically yielding reaction-environment stability, cost-effectiveness and tunable reactivity. This cooperative-action concept enabled us to predict two advantageous ORR electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations of the reaction free-energy diagrams confirm that these materials are more active toward ORR than the so far best Pt-based catalysts. Our designing concept advances also a general approach for engineering materials in heterogeneous catalysis.

Time-resolved energy transduction in a quantum capacitor

PubMed Central

Jung, Woojin; Cho, Doohee; Kim, Min-Kook; Choi, Hyoung Joon; Lyo, In-Whan

2011-01-01

The capability to deposit charge and energy quantum-by-quantum into a specific atomic site could lead to many previously unidentified applications. Here we report on the quantum capacitor formed by a strongly localized field possessing such capability. We investigated the charging dynamics of such a capacitor by using the unique scanning tunneling microscopy that combines nanosecond temporal and subangstrom spatial resolutions, and by using Si(001) as the electrode as well as the detector for excitations produced by the charging transitions. We show that sudden switching of a localized field induces a transiently empty quantum dot at the surface and that the dot acts as a tunable excitation source with subangstrom site selectivity. The timescale in the deexcitation of the dot suggests the formation of long-lived, excited states. Our study illustrates that a quantum capacitor has serious implications not only for the bottom-up nanotechnology but also for future switching devices. PMID:21817067

Colored ultrathin hybrid photovoltaics with high quantum efficiency

DOE PAGES

Lee, Kyu -Tae; Lee, Jae Yong; Seo, Sungyong; ...

2014-10-24

Most current solar panels are fabricated via complex processes using expensive semiconductor materials, and they are rigid and heavy with a dull, black appearance. As a result of their non-aesthetic appearance and weight, they are primarily installed on rooftops to minimize their negative impact on building appearance. The large surfaces and interiors of modern buildings are not efficiently utilized for potential electric power generation. Here, we introduce dual-function solar cells based on ultrathin dopant-free amorphous silicon embedded in an optical cavity that not only efficiently extract the photogenerated carriers but also display distinctive colors with the desired angle-insensitive appearances. Light-energy-harvestingmore » colored signage is demonstrated. Furthermore, a cascaded photovoltaics scheme based on tunable spectrum splitting can be employed to increase power efficiency by absorbing a broader band of light energy. Furthermore, this study pioneers a new approach to architecturally compatible and decorative thin-film photovoltaics.« less

Colored ultrathin hybrid photovoltaics with high quantum efficiency

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

Lee, Kyu -Tae; Lee, Jae Yong; Seo, Sungyong

Most current solar panels are fabricated via complex processes using expensive semiconductor materials, and they are rigid and heavy with a dull, black appearance. As a result of their non-aesthetic appearance and weight, they are primarily installed on rooftops to minimize their negative impact on building appearance. The large surfaces and interiors of modern buildings are not efficiently utilized for potential electric power generation. Here, we introduce dual-function solar cells based on ultrathin dopant-free amorphous silicon embedded in an optical cavity that not only efficiently extract the photogenerated carriers but also display distinctive colors with the desired angle-insensitive appearances. Light-energy-harvestingmore » colored signage is demonstrated. Furthermore, a cascaded photovoltaics scheme based on tunable spectrum splitting can be employed to increase power efficiency by absorbing a broader band of light energy. Furthermore, this study pioneers a new approach to architecturally compatible and decorative thin-film photovoltaics.« less

Self-Assembled N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Based Carboxymethylated Dextran Monolayers on Gold as a Tunable Platform for Designing Affinity-Capture Biosensor Surfaces.

PubMed

Li, Zhijun; Munro, Kim; Narouz, Mina R; Lau, Andrew; Hao, Hongxia; Crudden, Cathleen M; Horton, J Hugh

2018-05-30

Sensor surfaces play a predominant role in the development of optical biosensor technologies for the analysis of biomolecular interactions. Thiol-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold have been widely used as linker layers for sensor surfaces. However, the degradation of the thiol-gold bond can limit the performance and durability of such surfaces, directly impacting their performance and cost-effectiveness. To this end, a new family of materials based on N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) has emerged as an alternative for surface modification, capable of self-assembling onto a gold surface with higher affinity and superior stability as compared to the thiol-based systems. Here we demonstrate three applications of NHC SAMs supporting a dextran layer as a tunable platform for developing various affinity-capture biosensor surfaces. We describe the development and testing of NHC-based dextran biosensor surfaces modified with each of streptavidin, nitrilotriacetic acid, and recombinant Protein A. These affinity-capture sensor surfaces enable oriented binding of ligands for optimal performance in biomolecular assays. Together, the intrinsic high stability and flexible design of the NHC biosensing platforms show great promise and open up exciting possibilities for future biosensing applications.

Flexible Teflon nanocone array surfaces with tunable superhydrophobicity for self-cleaning and aqueous droplet patterning.

PubMed

Toma, Mana; Loget, Gabriel; Corn, Robert M

2014-07-23

Tunable hydrophobic/hydrophilic flexible Teflon nanocone array surfaces were fabricated over large areas (cm(2)) by a simple two-step method involving the oxygen plasma etching of a colloidal monolayer of polystyrene beads on a Teflon film. The wettability of the nanocone array surfaces was controlled by the nanocone array dimensions and various additional surface modifications. The resultant Teflon nanocone array surfaces were hydrophobic and adhesive (a "gecko" type of surface on which a water droplet has a high contact angle but stays in place) with a contact angle that correlated with the aspect ratio/sharpness of the nanocones. The surfaces switched to a superhydrophobic or "lotus" type of surface when hierarchical nanostructures were created on Teflon nanocones by modifying them with a gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) film. The nanocone array surfaces could be made superhydrophobic with a maximum contact angle of 160° by the further modification of the AuNPs with an octadecanethiol (C18SH) monolayer. Additionally, these nanocone array surfaces became hydrophilic when the nanocone surfaces were sequentially modified with AuNPs and hydrophilic polydopamine (PDA) layers. The nanocone array surfaces were tested for two potential applications: self-cleaning superhydrophobic surfaces and for the passive dispensing of aqueous droplets onto hybrid superhydrophobic/hydrophilic microarrays.

Structural and mechanical properties of glassy water in nanoscale confinement.

PubMed

Lombardo, Thomas G; Giovambattista, Nicolás; Debenedetti, Pablo G

2009-01-01

We investigate the structure and mechanical properties of glassy water confined between silica-based surfaces with continuously tunable hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity by computing and analyzing minimum energy, mechanically stable configurations (inherent structures). The structured silica substrate imposes long-range order on the first layer of water molecules under hydrophobic confinement at high density (p > or = 1.0 g cm(-3)). This proximal layer is also structured in hydrophilic confinement at very low density (p approximately 0.4 g cm(-3)). The ordering of water next to the hydrophobic surface greatly enhances the mechanical strength of thin films (0.8 nm). This leads to a substantial stress anisotropy; the transverse strength of the film exceeds the normal strength by 500 MPa. The large transverse strength results in a minimum in the equation of state of the energy landscape that does not correspond to a mechanical instability, but represents disruption of the ordered layer of water next to the wall. In addition, we find that the mode of mechanical failure is dependent on the type of confinement. Under large lateral strain, water confined by hydrophilic surfaces preferentially forms voids in the middle of the film and fails cohesively. In contrast, water under hydrophobic confinement tends to form voids near the walls and fails by loss of adhesion.

A tunable dual-wavelength pump source based on simulated polariton scattering for terahertz-wave generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Bo; Liu, Jinsong; Yao, Jianquan; Li, Enbang

2013-11-01

We propose a dual-wavelength pump source by utilizing stimulated polariton scattering in a LiNbO3 crystal. The residual pump and the generated tunable Stokes waves can be combined to generate THz-wave generation via difference frequency generation (DFG). With a pump energy of 49 mJ, Stokes waves with a tuning range from 1067.8 to 1074 nm have been generated, and an output energy of up to 14.9 mJ at 1070 nm has been achieved with a conversion efficiency of 21.7%. A sum frequency generation experiment was carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme for THz-wave DFG.

Room-temperature Q-switched Tm:BaY2F8 laser pumped by CW diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coluccelli, Nicola; Galzerano, Gianluca; Laporta, Paolo; Parisi, Daniela; Toncelli, Alessandra; Tonelli, Mauro

2006-02-01

We report on the realization of CW diode-pumped Tm:BaY2F8 Q-switched laser at 1.93 µm. Active Q-switching was obtained by means of an intracavity Pockels cell. A functional characterization of the laser performance is presented with particular attention to output energy, pulse duration, pulse stability, and wavelength tunability. Pulses with time duration as short as 170 ns were demonstrated at the minimum repetition rate of 5 Hz with an energy of 3.2 mJ (corresponding to a peak power of 19 kW). A wavelength tunability range from 1905 nm to 1990 nm has been observed.

Self-assembled tunable networks of sticky colloidal particles

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

Demortiere, Arnaud; Snezhko, Oleksiy Alexey; Sapozhnikov, Maksim

Self-assembled tunable networks of microscopic polymer fibers ranging from wavy colloidal "fur" to highly interconnected networks are created from polymer systems and an applied electric field. The networks emerge via dynamic self-assembly in an alternating (ac) electric field from a non-aqueous suspension of "sticky" polymeric colloidal particles with a controlled degree of polymerization. The resulting architectures are tuned by the frequency and amplitude of the electric field and surface properties of the particles.

Optical and Acoustic Device Applications of Ferroelastic Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meeks, Steven Wayne

This dissertation presents the discovery of a means of creating uniformly periodic domain gratings in a ferroelastic crystal of neodymium pentaphosphate (NPP). The uniform and non-uniform domain structures which can be created in NPP have the potential applications as tunable active gratings for lasers, tunable diffraction gratings, tunable Bragg reflection gratings, tunable acoustic filters, optical modulators, and optical domain wall memories. The interaction of optical and acoustic waves with ferroelastic domain walls in NPP is presented in detail. Acoustic amplitude reflection coefficients from a single domain wall in NPP are much larger than other ferroelastic-ferroelectrics such as gadolinium molybdate (GMO). Domain walls of NPP are used to make two demonstration acoustic devices: a tunable comb filter and a tunable delay line. The tuning process is accomplished by moving the position of the reflecting surface (the domain wall). A theory of the reflection of optical waves from NPP domain walls is discussed. The optical reflection is due to a change in the polarization of the wave, and not a change in the index, as the wave crosses the domain wall. Theoretical optical power reflection coefficients show good agreement with the experimentally measured values. The largest optical reflection coefficient of a single domain wall is at a critical angle and is 2.2% per domain wall. Techniques of injecting periodic and aperiodic domain walls into NPP are presented. The nucleation process of the uniformly periodic domain gratings in NPP is described in terms of a newly-discovered domain structure, namely the ferroelastic bubble. A ferroelastic bubble is the elastic analogue to the well-known magnetic bubble. The period of the uniformly periodic domain grating is tunable from 100 to 0.5 microns and the grating period may be tuned relatively rapidly. The Bragg efficiency of these tunable gratings is 77% for an uncoated crystal. Several demonstration devices which use these periodic structures are discussed. These devices are a tunable active grating laser (TAG laser), a tunable active grating (TAG), and a tunable acoustic bulk wave filter.

Ultrafast Energy Flow and Equilibration Dynamics in Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiuri, Margherita; Lüer, Larry; Henry, Sarah; Carey, Anne-Marie; Cogdell, Richard J.; Cerullo, Giulio; Polli, Dario

We disentangle various energy transfer pathways in the bacterio-chlorophyll excitation cascade from LH2 to LH1 in Chromatium vinosum grown under high-light or low-light illumination using tunable narrowband selective excitation and broadband infrared probing.

Multimodal transmission property in a liquid-filled photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Wei; Miao, Yinping; Song, Binbin; Zhang, Hao; Liu, Bo; Liu, Yange; Yan, Donglin

2015-02-01

The multimode interference (MMI) effect in a liquid-filled photonic crystal fiber (PCF) has been experimentally demonstrated by fully infiltrating the air-hole cladding of a solid-core PCF with the refractive index (RI) matching liquid whose RI is close to the silica background. Due to the weak mode confinement capability of the cladding region, several high-order modes are excited to establish the multimode interference effect. The multimode interferometer shows a good temperature tunability of 12.30 nm/K, which makes it a good candidate for a highly tunable optical filtering as well as temperature sensing applications. Furthermore, this MMI effect would have great promise in various applications such as highly sensitive multi-parameter sensing, tunable optically filtering, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

High-Speed Stark Wavelength Tuning of MidIR Interband Cascade Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-15

STARK WAVELENGTH TUNING OF MidIR ICLs 361 Fig. 2. Lasing spectra of the tunable ICL at different bias currents. injection region at before tunneling ...the energy separation between and (and hence the emission wavelength) undergoes a linear Stark shift that depends on the bias current which controls...response Fig. 3. Lasing spectra of the tunable ICL at different bias modulation frequen- cies. Fig. 4. Dependence of the intensity of the Line 2 on bias

Interlayer Coupling and Gate-Tunable Excitons in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures

DOE PAGES

Gao, Shiyuan; Yang, Li; Spataru, Catalin Dan

2017-11-22

Bilayer van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures such as MoS 2/WS 2 and MoSe 2/WSe 2 have attracted much attention recently, particularly because of their type II band alignments and the formation of interlayer exciton as the lowest-energy excitonic state. In this work, we calculate the electronic and optical properties of such heterostructures with the first-principles GW+Bethe–Salpeter Equation (BSE) method and reveal the important role of interlayer coupling in deciding the excited-state properties, including the band alignment and excitonic properties. Our calculation shows that due to the interlayer coupling, the low energy excitons can be widely tuned by a vertical gatemore » field. In particular, the dipole oscillator strength and radiative lifetime of the lowest energy exciton in these bilayer heterostructures is varied by over an order of magnitude within a practical external gate field. We also build a simple model that captures the essential physics behind this tunability and allows the extension of the ab initio results to a large range of electric fields. In conclusion, our work clarifies the physical picture of interlayer excitons in bilayer vdW heterostructures and predicts a wide range of gate-tunable excited-state properties of 2D optoelectronic devices.« less

Tunable triple-wavelength mode-locked fiber laser with topological insulator Bi2Se3 solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Bo; Yao, Yong

2016-08-01

We experimentally demonstrated a tunable triple-wavelength mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser with few-layer topological insulator: Bi2Se3/polyvinyl alcohol solution. By properly adjusting the pump power and the polarization state, the single-, dual-, and triple-wavelength mode-locking operation could be stably initiated with a wavelength-tunable range (˜1 nm) and a variable wavelength spacing (1.7 or 2 nm). Meanwhile, it exhibits the maximum output power of 10 mW and pulse energy of 1.12 nJ at the pump power of 175 mW. The simple, low-cost triple-wavelength mode-locked fiber laser might be applied in various potential fields, such as optical communication, biomedical research, and sensing system.

Pathway towards Programmable Wave Anisotropy in Cellular Metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celli, Paolo; Zhang, Weiting; Gonella, Stefano

2018-01-01

In this work, we provide a proof-of-concept experimental demonstration of the wave-control capabilities of cellular metamaterials endowed with populations of tunable electromechanical resonators. Each independently tunable resonator comprises a piezoelectric patch and a resistor-inductor shunt, and its resonant frequency can be seamlessly reprogrammed without interfering with the cellular structure's default properties. We show that, by strategically placing the resonators in the lattice domain and by deliberately activating only selected subsets of them, chosen to conform to the directional features of the beamed wave response, it is possible to override the inherent wave anisotropy of the cellular medium. The outcome is the establishment of tunable spatial patterns of energy distillation resulting in a nonsymmetric correction of the wave fields.

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.

Acoustic sensors using microstructures tunable with energy other than acoustic energy

DOEpatents

Datskos, Panagiotis G.

2003-11-25

A sensor for detecting acoustic energy includes a microstructure tuned to a predetermined acoustic frequency and a device for detecting movement of the microstructure. A display device is operatively linked to the movement detecting device. When acoustic energy strikes the acoustic sensor, acoustic energy having a predetermined frequency moves the microstructure, where the movement is detected by the movement detecting device.

Acoustic sensors using microstructures tunable with energy other than acoustic energy

DOEpatents

Datskos, Panagiotis G.

2005-06-07

A sensor for detecting acoustic energy includes a microstructure tuned to a predetermined acoustic frequency and a device for detecting movement of the microstructure. A display device is operatively linked to the movement detecting device. When acoustic energy strikes the acoustic sensor, acoustic energy having a predetermined frequency moves the microstructure, where the movement is detected by the movement detecting device.

Dynamic biophotonics: female squid exhibit sexually dimorphic tunable leucophores and iridocytes.

PubMed

DeMartini, Daniel G; Ghoshal, Amitabh; Pandolfi, Erica; Weaver, Aaron T; Baum, Mary; Morse, Daniel E

2013-10-01

Loliginid squid use tunable multilayer reflectors to modulate the optical properties of their skin for camouflage and communication. Contained inside specialized cells called iridocytes, these photonic structures have been a model for investigations into bio-inspired adaptive optics. Here, we describe two distinct sexually dimorphic tunable biophotonic features in the commercially important species Doryteuthis opalescens: bright stripes of rainbow iridescence on the mantle just beneath each fin attachment and a bright white stripe centered on the dorsal surface of the mantle between the fins. Both of these cellular features are unique to the female; positioned in the same location as the conspicuously bright white testis in the male, they are completely switchable, transitioning between transparency and high reflectivity. The sexual dimorphism, location and tunability of these features suggest that they may function in mating or reproduction. These features provide advantageous new models for investigation of adaptive biophotonics. The intensely reflective cells of the iridescent stripes provide a greater signal-to-noise ratio than the adaptive iridocytes studied thus far, while the cells constituting the white stripe are adaptive leucophores--unique biological tunable broadband scatterers containing Mie-scattering organelles activated by acetylcholine, and a unique complement of reflectin proteins.

Tunable Liquid Gradient Refractive Index (L-GRIN) lens with two degrees of freedom.

PubMed

Mao, Xiaole; Lin, Sz-Chin Steven; Lapsley, Michael Ian; Shi, Jinjie; Juluri, Bala Krishna; Huang, Tony Jun

2009-07-21

We report a tunable optofluidic microlens configuration named the Liquid Gradient Refractive Index (L-GRIN) lens for focusing light within a microfluidic device. The focusing of light was achieved through the gradient refractive index (GRIN) within the liquid medium, rather than via curved refractive lens surfaces. The diffusion of solute (CaCl(2)) between side-by-side co-injected microfluidic laminar flows was utilized to establish a hyperbolic secant (HS) refractive index profile to focus light. Tailoring the refractive index profile by adjusting the flow conditions enables not only tuning of the focal distance (translation mode), but also shifting of the output light direction (swing mode), a second degree of freedom that to our knowledge has yet to be accomplished for in-plane tunable microlenses. Advantages of the L-GRIN lens also include a low fluid consumption rate, competitive focusing performance, and high compatibility with existing microfluidic devices. This work provides a new strategy for developing integrative tunable microlenses for a variety of lab-on-a-chip applications.

Identification of the optimal spectral region for plasmonic and nanoplasmonic sensing.

PubMed

Otte, Marinus A; Sepúlveda, Borja; Ni, Weihai; Juste, Jorge Pérez; Liz-Marzán, Luis M; Lechuga, Laura M

2010-01-26

We present a theoretical and experimental study involving the sensing characteristics of wavelength-interrogated plasmonic sensors based on surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) in planar gold films and on localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) of single gold nanorods. The tunability of both sensing platforms allowed us to analyze their bulk and surface sensing characteristics as a function of the plasmon resonance position. We demonstrate that a general figure of merit (FOM), which is equivalent in wavelength and energy scales, can be employed to mutually compare both sensing schemes. Most interestingly, this FOM has revealed a spectral region for which the surface sensitivity performance of both sensor types is optimized, which we attribute to the intrinsic dielectric properties of plasmonic materials. Additionally, in good agreement with theoretical predictions, we experimentally demonstrate that, although the SPP sensor offers a much better bulk sensitivity, the LSPR sensor shows an approximately 15% better performance for surface sensitivity measurements when its FOM is optimized. However, optimization of the substrate refractive index and the accessibility of the relevant molecules to the nanoparticles can lead to a total 3-fold improvement of the FOM in LSPR sensors.

X-Ray Scattering Studies of the Liquid-Vapor Interface of Gallium.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamoto, Eric Hitoshi

A UHV system was developed for performing X-ray scattering studies and in situ analyses of liquid metal surfaces. A nearly ideal choice for this study, gallium has a melting point just above room temperature; is amenable to handling in both air and vacuum; its surface oxides can be removed while its cleanliness is maintained and monitored. Using argon glow-discharge sputtering techniques to remove intervening surface oxides, thin wetting layers of gallium were prepared atop nonreactive substrates, to be used as samples suited for liquid surface scattering experiments. Preliminary measurements of X-ray reflectivity from the liquid-vapor interface of gallium were performed with the X-ray UHV chamber configured for use in conjunction with liquid surface spectrometers at two synchrotron beamlines. A novel technique for carrying out and interpreting scattering measurements from curved liquid surfaces was demonstrated. The energy tunability and intense focused white beam flux from a wiggler source was shown to place within reach the large values of wavevector transfer at which specular reflectivity data yield small length scale information about surface structure. Various theoretical treatments and simulations predict quasi-lamellar ordering of atoms near the free surface of metallic liquids due to energetics particular to metals (electron delocalization, the dependence of system energy on ion and electron densities, surface tension and electrostatic energy). However, the experimental data reported to date is insufficient to distinguish between a monotonic, sigmoidal electron density profile found at the free surfaces of dielectric liquids, and the damped oscillatory layer-like profiles anticipated for metallic liquids. Out to a wavevector transfer of Q = 0.55 A ^{-1}, the reflectivity data measured from a curved Ga surface is not inconsistent with what is expected for a liquid-vapor electron density profile of Gaussian width sigma = 1.3 +/- 0.2 A. Subsequent measurements roughly tripled the range of Q, but an oxidized surface led to poor data and hindered interpretation. The analysis presented is speculative at best, but within the context of the thermally excited capillary wave model of simple liquid surfaces, there seems to be no serious deviation from the simple Gaussian interfacial profile with the aforementioned roughness.

Engineering an Insulating Ferroelectric Superlattice with a Tunable Band Gap from Metallic Components

DOE PAGES

Ghosh, Saurabh; Borisevich, Albina Y.; Pantelides, Sokrates T.

2017-10-25

The recent discovery of “polar metals” with ferroelectriclike displacements offers the promise of designing ferroelectrics with tunable energy gaps by inducing controlled metal-insulator transitions. Here in this work, we employ first-principles calculations to design a metallic polar superlattice from nonpolar metal components and show that controlled intermixing can lead to a true insulating ferroelectric with a tunable band gap. We consider a 2/2 superlattice made of two centrosymmetric metallic oxides, La 0.75Sr 0.25MnO 3 and LaNiO 3, and show that ferroelectriclike displacements are induced. The ferroelectriclike distortion is found to be strongly dependent on the carrier concentration (Sr content). Further,more » we show that a metal-to-insulator (MI) transition is feasible in this system via disproportionation of the Ni sites. Such a disproportionation and, hence, a MI transition can be driven by intermixing of transition metal ions between Mn and Ni layers. Finally, as a result, the energy gap of the resulting ferroelectric can be tuned by varying the degree of intermixing in the experimental fabrication method.« less

Engineering an Insulating Ferroelectric Superlattice with a Tunable Band Gap from Metallic Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Saurabh; Borisevich, Albina Y.; Pantelides, Sokrates T.

2017-10-01

The recent discovery of "polar metals" with ferroelectriclike displacements offers the promise of designing ferroelectrics with tunable energy gaps by inducing controlled metal-insulator transitions. Here we employ first-principles calculations to design a metallic polar superlattice from nonpolar metal components and show that controlled intermixing can lead to a true insulating ferroelectric with a tunable band gap. We consider a 2 /2 superlattice made of two centrosymmetric metallic oxides, La0.75 Sr0.25 MnO3 and LaNiO3 , and show that ferroelectriclike displacements are induced. The ferroelectriclike distortion is found to be strongly dependent on the carrier concentration (Sr content). Further, we show that a metal-to-insulator (MI) transition is feasible in this system via disproportionation of the Ni sites. Such a disproportionation and, hence, a MI transition can be driven by intermixing of transition metal ions between Mn and Ni layers. As a result, the energy gap of the resulting ferroelectric can be tuned by varying the degree of intermixing in the experimental fabrication method.

Engineering an Insulating Ferroelectric Superlattice with a Tunable Band Gap from Metallic Components

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

Ghosh, Saurabh; Borisevich, Albina Y.; Pantelides, Sokrates T.

The recent discovery of “polar metals” with ferroelectriclike displacements offers the promise of designing ferroelectrics with tunable energy gaps by inducing controlled metal-insulator transitions. Here in this work, we employ first-principles calculations to design a metallic polar superlattice from nonpolar metal components and show that controlled intermixing can lead to a true insulating ferroelectric with a tunable band gap. We consider a 2/2 superlattice made of two centrosymmetric metallic oxides, La 0.75Sr 0.25MnO 3 and LaNiO 3, and show that ferroelectriclike displacements are induced. The ferroelectriclike distortion is found to be strongly dependent on the carrier concentration (Sr content). Further,more » we show that a metal-to-insulator (MI) transition is feasible in this system via disproportionation of the Ni sites. Such a disproportionation and, hence, a MI transition can be driven by intermixing of transition metal ions between Mn and Ni layers. Finally, as a result, the energy gap of the resulting ferroelectric can be tuned by varying the degree of intermixing in the experimental fabrication method.« less

Electrowetting-based optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiper, S.; Hendriks, B. H. W.; Hayes, R. A.; Feenstra, B. J.; Baken, J. M. E.

2005-09-01

Electrowetting is electrostatic manipulation of liquids. It can be used to displace and deform volumes of polar liquids. A very promising application area is optics. The surface of a volume of liquid can be used as a tunable lens and displacement of the liquid can change the refraction, diffraction or transmission of light when passing through the liquid. In this paper we describe a selection of various tunable optical components that make use of electrowetting, ranging from refractive and diffractive lenses to diaphragms and displays.

From 1D to 3D: Tunable Sub-10 nm Gaps in Large Area Devices.

PubMed

Zhou, Ziwei; Zhao, Zhiyuan; Yu, Ye; Ai, Bin; Möhwald, Helmuth; Chiechi, Ryan C; Yang, Joel K W; Zhang, Gang

2016-04-20

Tunable sub-10 nm 1D nanogaps are fabricated based on nanoskiving. The electric field in different sized nanogaps is investigated theoretically and experimentally, yielding nonmonotonic dependence and an optimized gap-width (5 nm). 2D nanogap arrays are fabricated to pack denser gaps combining surface patterning techniques. Innovatively, 3D multistory nanogaps are built via a stacking procedure, processing higher integration, and much improved electric field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A compact tunable polarized X-ray source based on laser-plasma helical undulators

PubMed Central

Luo, J.; Chen, M.; Zeng, M.; Vieira, J.; Yu, L. L.; Weng, S. M.; Silva, L. O.; Jaroszynski, D. A.; Sheng, Z. M.; Zhang, J.

2016-01-01

Laser wakefield accelerators have great potential as the basis for next generation compact radiation sources because of their extremely high accelerating gradients. However, X-ray radiation from such devices still lacks tunability, especially of the intensity and polarization distributions. Here we propose a tunable polarized radiation source based on a helical plasma undulator in a plasma channel guided wakefield accelerator. When a laser pulse is initially incident with a skew angle relative to the channel axis, the laser and accelerated electrons experience collective spiral motions, which leads to elliptically polarized synchrotron-like radiation with flexible tunability on radiation intensity, spectra and polarization. We demonstrate that a radiation source with millimeter size and peak brilliance of 2 × 1019 photons/s/mm2/mrad2/0.1% bandwidth can be made with moderate laser and electron beam parameters. This brilliance is comparable with third generation synchrotron radiation facilities running at similar photon energies, suggesting that laser plasma based radiation sources are promising for advanced applications. PMID:27377126

Deep-UV Based Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter for Spectral Sensing Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.

2006-01-01

In this paper, recent progress made in the development of quartz and KDP crystal based acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) are presented. These AOTFs are developed for operation over deep-UV to near-UV wavelengths of 190 nm to 400 nm. Preliminary output performance measurements of quartz AOTF and design specifications of KDP AOTF are presented. At 355 nm, the quartz AOTF device offered approx.15% diffraction efficiency with a passband full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of less than 0.0625 nm. Further characterization of quartz AOTF devices at deep-UV wavelengths is progressing. The hermetic packaging of KDP AOTF is nearing completion. The solid-state optical sources being used for excitation include nonlinear optics based high-energy tunable UV transmitters that operate around 320 nm and 308 nm wavelengths, and a tunable deep-UV laser operating over 193 nm to 210 nm. These AOTF devices have been developed as turn-key devices for primarily for space-based chemical and biological sensing applications using laser induced Fluorescence and resonance Raman techniques.

Gold nanorods-silicone hybrid material films and their optical limiting property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunfang; Qi, Yanhai; Hao, Xiongwen; Peng, Xue; Li, Dongxiang

2015-10-01

As a kind of new optical limiting materials, gold nanoparticles have optical limiting property owing to their optical nonlinearities induced by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Gold nanorods (GNRs) possess transversal SPR absorption and tunable longitudinal SPR absorption in the visible and near-infrared region, so they can be used as potential optical limiting materials against tunable laser pulses. In this letter, GNRs were prepared using seed-mediated growth method and surface-modified by silica coating to obtain good dispersion in polydimethylsiloxane prepolymers. Then the silicone rubber films doped with GNRs were prepared after vulcanization, whose optical limiting property and optical nonlinearity were investigated. The silicone rubber samples doped with more GNRs were found to exhibit better optical limiting performance.

Mechanical stress-controlled tunable active frequency-selective surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bo-Cin; Hong, Jian-Wei; Lo, Cheng-Yao

2017-01-01

This study proposes a tunable active frequency-selective surface (AFSS) realized by mechanically expanding or contracting a split-ring resonator (SRR) array. The proposed AFSS transfers mechanical stress from its elastic substrate to the top of the SRR, thereby achieving electromagnetic (EM) modulation without the need for an additional external power supply, meeting the requirements for the target application: the invisibility cloak. The operating mechanism of the proposed AFSS differs from those of other AFSSs, supporting modulations in arbitrary frequencies in the target range. The proposed stress-controlled or strain-induced EM modulation proves the existence of an identical and linear relationship between the strain gradient and the frequency shift, implying its suitability for other EM modulation ranges and applications.

Experimental demonstration of tunable directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons with a subwavelength metallic double slit

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

Li Xiaowei; Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084; Tan Qiaofeng

2011-06-20

We demonstrate experimentally the directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a metal film by a subwavelength double slit under backside illumination, based on the interference of SPPs generated by the two slits. By varying the incident angle, the SPPs can be tunably directed into two opposite propagating directions with a predetermined splitting ratio. Under certain incident angle, unidirectional SPP excitation can be achieved. This compact directional SPP coupler is potentially useful for many on-chip applications. As an example, we show the integration of the double-slit couplers with SPP Bragg mirrors, which can effectively realize selective coupling of SPPsmore » into different ports in an integrated plasmonic chip.« less

Genetically tunable M13 phage films utilizing evaporating droplets.

PubMed

Alberts, Erik; Warner, Chris; Barnes, Eftihia; Pilkiewicz, Kevin; Perkins, Edward; Poda, Aimee

2018-01-01

This effort utilizes a genetically tunable system of bacteriophage to evaluate the effect of charge, temperature and particle concentration on biomaterial synthesis utilizing the coffee ring (CR) effect. There was a 1.6-3 fold suppression of the CR at higher temperatures while maintaining self-assembled structures of thin films. This suppression was observed in phage with charged and uncharged surface chemistry, which formed ordered and disordered assemblies respectively, indicating CR suppression is not dependent on short-range ordering or surface chemistry. Analysis of the drying process suggests weakened capillary flow at elevated temperatures caused CR suppression and could be further enhanced for controlled assembly for advanced biomaterials. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tunable plasmonic nanocavity with Ge2Sb2Te5 film for directional launching of surface plasmons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Hee-Dong; Hwang, Chi-Young; Kim, Hyuntai; Choi, Muhan; Lee, Seung-Yeol

2018-04-01

A tunable plasmonic nanocavity which consists of a metallic groove with submerged ultra-thin Ge2Sb2Te5 film is proposed for controlling the on/off characteristics of directional surface plasmon polaritions (SPPs) launching. Different mechanisms of launching SPPs using two orthogonal incident polarizations are investigated to reveal the SPP generation characteristics from the proposed nanocavity. By choosing the appropriate position of Ge2Sb2Te5 film, we report that the directional launching characteristics of SPPs can be controlled by changing the phase state of extremely small volume of Ge2Sb2Te5 film, which shows up to 37 dB of extinction ratio changing characteristics.

Trapping of drops by wetting defects

PubMed Central

't Mannetje, Dieter; Ghosh, Somnath; Lagraauw, Rudy; Otten, Simon; Pit, Arjen; Berendsen, Christian; Zeegers, Jos; van den Ende, Dirk; Mugele, Frieder

2014-01-01

Controlling the motion of drops on solid surfaces is crucial in many natural phenomena and technological processes including the collection and removal of rain drops, cleaning technology and heat exchangers. Topographic and chemical heterogeneities on solid surfaces give rise to pinning forces that can capture and steer drops in desired directions. Here we determine general physical conditions required for capturing sliding drops on an inclined plane that is equipped with electrically tunable wetting defects. By mapping the drop dynamics on the one-dimensional motion of a point mass, we demonstrate that the trapping process is controlled by two dimensionless parameters, the trapping strength measured in units of the driving force and the ratio between a viscous and an inertial time scale. Complementary experiments involving superhydrophobic surfaces with wetting defects demonstrate the general applicability of the concept. Moreover, we show that electrically tunable defects can be used to guide sliding drops along actively switchable tracks—with potential applications in microfluidics. PMID:24721935

Flexible coherent control of plasmonic spin-Hall effect.

PubMed

Xiao, Shiyi; Zhong, Fan; Liu, Hui; Zhu, Shining; Li, Jensen

2015-09-29

The surface plasmon polariton is an emerging candidate for miniaturizing optoelectronic circuits. Recent demonstrations of polarization-dependent splitting using metasurfaces, including focal-spot shifting and unidirectional propagation, allow us to exploit the spin degree of freedom in plasmonics. However, further progress has been hampered by the inability to generate more complicated and independent surface plasmon profiles for two incident spins, which work coherently together for more flexible and tunable functionalities. Here by matching the geometric phases of the nano-slots on silver to specific superimpositions of the inward and outward surface plasmon profiles for the two spins, arbitrary spin-dependent orbitals can be generated in a slot-free region. Furthermore, motion pictures with a series of picture frames can be assembled and played by varying the linear polarization angle of incident light. This spin-enabled control of orbitals is potentially useful for tip-free near-field scanning microscopy, holographic data storage, tunable plasmonic tweezers, and integrated optical components.

Defect states at organic-inorganic interfaces: Insight from first principles calculations for pentaerythritol tetranitrate on MgO surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsyshevsky, Roman V.; Rashkeev, Sergey N.; Kuklja, Maija M.

2015-07-01

Light-responsive organic-inorganic interfaces offer experimental opportunities that are otherwise difficult to achieve. Since laser light can be manipulated very precisely, it becomes possible to engineer selective, predictive, and highly controlled interface properties. Photochemistry of organic-inorganic energetic interfaces is a rapidly emerging research field in which energy absorption and interface stability mechanisms have yet to be established. To explore the interaction of the laser irradiation with molecular materials, we performed first principle calculations of a prototype organic-inorganic interface between a nitroester (pentaerythritol tetranitrate, PETN, C5H8N4O12) and a magnesium oxide (MgO) surface. We found that the light absorption is defined by the band alignment between interface components and interfacial charge transfer coupled with electronic states in the band gap, generated by oxide surface defects. Hence the choice of an oxide substrate and its morphology makes the optical absorption tunable and governs both the energy accumulation and energy release at the interface. The obtained results offer a possible consistent interpretation of experiments on selective laser initiation of energetic materials, which reported that the presence of metal oxide additives triggered the photoinitiation by excitation energy much lower than the band gap. We suggest that PETN photodecomposition is catalyzed by oxygen vacancies (F0 centers) at the MgO surface. Our conclusions predict ways for a complete separation of thermo- and photo-stimulated interface chemistry of molecular materials, which is imperative for highly controllable fast decomposition and was not attainable before. The methodology described here can be applied to any type of molecular material/wide band gap dielectric interfaces. It provides a solid basis for novel design and targeted improvements of organic-inorganic interfaces with desired properties that promise to enable vastly new concepts of energy storage and conversion, photocatalysis, and molecular electronics.

Investigation of laser dynamics, modulation and control by means of intra-cavity time varying perturbation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, S. E.; Siegman, A. E.; Kuizenga, D. J.; Kung, A. H.; Young, J. F.; Bekkers, G. W.; Bloom, D. M.; Newton, J. H.; Phillion, D. W.

1975-01-01

The generation of tunable visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light is examined, along with the control of this light by means of novel mode-locking and modulation techniques. Transient mode-locking of the Nd:YAG laser and generation of short tunable pulses in the visible and the alkali metal inert gas excimer laser systems were investigated. Techniques for frequency conversion of high power and high energy laser radiation are discussed, along with high average power blue and UV laser light sources.

Fano resonances in bilayer phosphorene nanoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Wu, Zhenhua; Li, X. J.; Li, L. L.; Chen, Qiao; Li, Yun-Mei; Peeters, F. M.

2018-05-01

Tunable transport properties and Fano resonances are predicted in a circular bilayer phosphorene nanoring. The conductance exhibits Fano resonances with varying incident energy and applied perpendicular magnetic field. These Fano resonance peaks can be accurately fitted with the well known Fano curves. When a magnetic field is applied to the nanoring, the conductance oscillates periodically with magnetic field which is reminiscent of the Aharonov–Bohm effect. Fano resonances are tightly related to the discrete states in the central nanoring, some of which are tunable by the magnetic field.

Shrink-induced graphene sensor for alpha-fetoprotein detection with low-cost self-assembly and label-free assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sando, Shota; Zhang, Bo; Cui, Tianhong

2017-12-01

Combination of shrink induced nano-composites technique and layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembled graphene challenges controlling surface morphology. Adjusting shrink temperature achieves tunability on graphene surface morphology on shape memory polymers, and it promises to be an alternative in fields of high-surface-area conductors and molecular detection. In this study, self-assembled graphene on a shrink polymer substrate exhibits nanowrinkles after heating. Induced nanowrinkles on graphene with different shrink temperature shows distinct surface roughness and wettability. As a result, it becomes more hydrophilic with higher shrink temperatures. The tunable wettability promises to be utilized in, for example, microfluidic devices. The graphene on shrink polymer also exhibits capability of being used in sensing applications for pH and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) detection with advantages of label free and low cost, due to self-assembly technique, easy functionalization, and antigen-antibody reaction on graphene surface. The detection limit of AFP detection is down to 1 pg/mL, and therefore the sensor also has a significant potential for biosensing as it relies on low-cost self-assembly and label-free assay.

Temperature-tunable wettability on a bioinspired structured graphene surface for fog collection and unidirectional transport.

PubMed

Song, Yun-Yun; Liu, Yan; Jiang, Hao-Bo; Li, Shu-Yi; Kaya, Cigdem; Stegmaier, Thomas; Han, Zhi-Wu; Ren, Lu-Quan

2018-02-22

We designed a type of smart bioinspired wettable surface with tip-shaped patterns by combining polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and graphene (PDMS/G). The laser etched porous graphene surface can produce an obvious wettability change between 200 °C and 0 °C due to a change in aperture size and chemical components. We demonstrate that the cooperation of the geometrical structure and the controllable wettability play an important role in water gathering, and surfaces with tip-shaped wettability patterns can quickly drive tiny water droplets toward more wettable regions, so making a great contribution to the improvement of water collection efficiency. In addition, due to the effective cooperation between super hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the special tip-shaped pattern, unidirectional water transport on the 200 °C heated PDMS/G surface can be realized. This study offers a novel insight into the design of temperature-tunable materials with interphase wettability that may enhance fog collection efficiency in engineering liquid harvesting equipment, and realize unidirectional liquid transport, which could potentially be applied to the realms of microfluidics, medical devices and condenser design.

Formation of a Crack-Free, Hybrid Skin Layer with Tunable Surface Topography and Improved Gas Permeation Selectivity on Elastomers Using Gel–Liquid Infiltration Polymerization

DOE PAGES

Wang, Mengyuan; Gorham, Justin M.; Killgore, Jason P.; ...

2017-07-31

Surface modifications of elastomers and gels are crucial for emerging applications such as soft robotics and flexible electronics, in large part because they provide a platform to control wettability, adhesion, and permeability. Current surface modification methods via ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) and/or O2 plasma, atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasmas deposition, and chemical treatment impart a dense polymer or inorganic layer on the surface that is brittle and easy to fracture at low strain levels. This paper presents a new method, based on gel–liquid infiltration polymerization, to form hybrid skin layers atop elastomers. The method is unique in that it allows for controlmore » of the skin layer topography, with tunable feature sizes and aspect ratios as high as 1.8 without fracture. Unlike previous techniques, the skin layer formed here dramatically improves the barrier properties of the elastomer, while preserving skin layer flexibility. Furthermore, the method is versatile and likely applicable to most interfacial polymerization systems and network polymers on flat and patterned surfaces.« less

Formation of a Crack-Free, Hybrid Skin Layer with Tunable Surface Topography and Improved Gas Permeation Selectivity on Elastomers Using Gel–Liquid Infiltration Polymerization

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

Wang, Mengyuan; Gorham, Justin M.; Killgore, Jason P.

Surface modifications of elastomers and gels are crucial for emerging applications such as soft robotics and flexible electronics, in large part because they provide a platform to control wettability, adhesion, and permeability. Current surface modification methods via ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) and/or O2 plasma, atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasmas deposition, and chemical treatment impart a dense polymer or inorganic layer on the surface that is brittle and easy to fracture at low strain levels. This paper presents a new method, based on gel–liquid infiltration polymerization, to form hybrid skin layers atop elastomers. The method is unique in that it allows for controlmore » of the skin layer topography, with tunable feature sizes and aspect ratios as high as 1.8 without fracture. Unlike previous techniques, the skin layer formed here dramatically improves the barrier properties of the elastomer, while preserving skin layer flexibility. Furthermore, the method is versatile and likely applicable to most interfacial polymerization systems and network polymers on flat and patterned surfaces.« less

From petal effect to lotus effect: a facile solution immersion process for the fabrication of super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhongjun; Du, Ming; Lai, Hua; Zhang, Naiqing; Sun, Kening

2013-04-07

In this paper, a convenient approach based on the reaction between an alkyl thiol and hierarchical structured Cu(OH)2 substrates is reported for the fabrication of super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion. This reaction can etch the Cu(OH)2 microstructures and simultaneously introduce a coating with low surface energy. By simply controlling the reaction time or the chain length of the thiol, super-hydrophobic surfaces with controlled adhesion can be achieved, and the adhesive force between the surface and the water droplet can be adjusted from extreme low (∼14 μN) to very high (∼65 μN). The tunable effect of the adhesion is ascribed to the different wetting states for the droplet on the surface that results from the change of the morphology and microstructure scale after the thiolate reaction. Noticeably, the as-prepared surfaces are acid/alkali-resisting; the acidic and basic water droplets have similar contact angles and adhesive forces to that of the neutral water droplet. Moreover, we demonstrate a proof of water droplet transportation for application in droplet-based microreactors via our surfaces. We believe that the results reported here would be helpful for the further understanding of the effect of wetting states on the surface adhesion and the fabrication principle for a super-hydrophobic surface with controlled adhesion.

UV Generation of 25 mJ/pulse at 289 nm for Ozone Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storm, Mark E.; Marsh, Waverly; Barnes, James C.

1998-01-01

Our paper describes a technique for generating tunable UV laser radiation between 250-300 nm capable of energies up to 30-5O mJ/pulse. The tunability of this source is attractive for selecting ozone absorption cross sections which are optimal for ozone DIAL detection throughout the troposphere. A Nd:YAG laser is used to pump a pulsed titanium sapphire laser which is then frequency tripled into the UV. Titanium sapphire (TiS) lases robustly between 750-900 nm. In initial experiments we have converted 110 mJ of 867 nm from a TiS laser into 28 mJ at 289 nm. The energy conversion efficiency was 62% for doubling into 433 nm and 25% into 289 nm.

One-dimensional cuts through multidimensional potential-energy surfaces by tunable x rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckert, Sebastian; da Cruz, Vinícius Vaz; Gel'mukhanov, Faris; Ertan, Emelie; Ignatova, Nina; Polyutov, Sergey; Couto, Rafael C.; Fondell, Mattis; Dantz, Marcus; Kennedy, Brian; Schmitt, Thorsten; Pietzsch, Annette; Odelius, Michael; Föhlisch, Alexander

2018-05-01

The concept of the potential-energy surface (PES) and directional reaction coordinates is the backbone of our description of chemical reaction mechanisms. Although the eigenenergies of the nuclear Hamiltonian uniquely link a PES to its spectrum, this information is in general experimentally inaccessible in large polyatomic systems. This is due to (near) degenerate rovibrational levels across the parameter space of all degrees of freedom, which effectively forms a pseudospectrum given by the centers of gravity of groups of close-lying vibrational levels. We show here that resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) constitutes an ideal probe for revealing one-dimensional cuts through the ground-state PES of molecular systems, even far away from the equilibrium geometry, where the independent-mode picture is broken. We strictly link the center of gravity of close-lying vibrational peaks in RIXS to a pseudospectrum which is shown to coincide with the eigenvalues of an effective one-dimensional Hamiltonian along the propagation coordinate of the core-excited wave packet. This concept, combined with directional and site selectivity of the core-excited states, allows us to experimentally extract cuts through the ground-state PES along three complementary directions for the showcase H2O molecule.

Highχ block copolymers for directed self-assembly patterning without the need for topcoat or solvent annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Kui; Hockey, Mary Ann; Calderas, Eric; Guerrero, Douglas; Sweat, Daniel; Fiehler, Jeffrey

2017-03-01

High-χ block copolymers for directed self-assembly (DSA) patterning that do not need topcoat or solvent annealing have been developed. A variety of functionalities have been successfully added into the block copolymers, such as balanced surface energy between the polymer blocks, outstandingly high χ, tunable glass transition temperature (Tg), and selective crosslinking. Perpendicular orientation control, as desired for patterning, of the block copolymers can be simply achieved by thermal annealing due to the equal surface energy of the polymer blocks at the annealing temperatures, which allows avoiding solvent annealing or top-coat. The χ value can be tuned up to achieve L0 as low as 8-10 nm for lamellar-structured block copolymers and hole/pillar size as small as 5-6 nm for cylinder-structured block copolymers. The Tg of the block copolymers can be tuned to improve the kinetics of thermal annealing by enhancing the polymer chain mobility. Block-selective crosslinking facilitates the pattern transfer by mitigating pattern collapse during wet etching and improving oxygen plasma etching selectivity between the polymer blocks. This paper provides an introductory review of our high-χ block copolymer materials with various functionalities for achieving improved DSA performance.

Biotemplated Morpho Butterfly Wings for Tunable Structurally Colored Photocatalysts.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Robin E; Agarwal, Sneha P; An, Shun; Kazyak, Eric; Das, Debashree; Shang, Wen; Skye, Rachael; Deng, Tao; Dasgupta, Neil P

2018-02-07

Morpho sulkowskyi butterfly wings contain naturally occurring hierarchical nanostructures that produce structural coloration. The high aspect ratio and surface area of these wings make them attractive nanostructured templates for applications in solar energy and photocatalysis. However, biomimetic approaches to replicate their complex structural features and integrate functional materials into their three-dimensional framework are highly limited in precision and scalability. Herein, a biotemplating approach is presented that precisely replicates Morpho nanostructures by depositing nanocrystalline ZnO coatings onto wings via low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD). This study demonstrates the ability to precisely tune the natural structural coloration while also integrating multifunctionality by imparting photocatalytic activity onto fully intact Morpho wings. Optical spectroscopy and finite-difference time-domain numerical modeling demonstrate that ALD ZnO coatings can rationally tune the structural coloration across the visible spectrum. These structurally colored photocatalysts exhibit an optimal coating thickness to maximize photocatalytic activity, which is attributed to trade-offs between light absorption and catalytic quantum yield with increasing coating thickness. These multifunctional photocatalysts present a new approach to integrating solar energy harvesting into visually attractive surfaces that can be integrated into building facades or other macroscopic structures to impart aesthetic appeal.

High repetition rate tunable femtosecond pulses and broadband amplification from fiber laser pumped parametric amplifier.

PubMed

Andersen, T V; Schmidt, O; Bruchmann, C; Limpert, J; Aguergaray, C; Cormier, E; Tünnermann, A

2006-05-29

We report on the generation of high energy femtosecond pulses at 1 MHz repetition rate from a fiber laser pumped optical parametric amplifier (OPA). Nonlinear bandwidth enhancement in fibers provides the intrinsically synchronized signal for the parametric amplifier. We demonstrate large tunability extending from 700 nm to 1500 nm of femtosecond pulses with pulse energies as high as 1.2 muJ when the OPA is seeded by a supercontinuum generated in a photonic crystal fiber. Broadband amplification over more than 85 nm is achieved at a fixed wavelength. Subsequent compression in a prism sequence resulted in 46 fs pulses. With an average power of 0.5 W these pulses have a peak-power above 10 MW. In particular, the average power and pulse energy scalability of both involved concepts, the fiber laser and the parametric amplifier, will enable easy up-scaling to higher powers.

Controllable asymmetric transmission via gap-tunable acoustic metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bingyi; Jiang, Yongyuan

2018-04-01

In this work, we utilize the acoustic gradient metasurface (AGM) of a bilayer configuration to realize the controllable asymmetric transmission. Relying on the adjustable gap between the two composing layers, the metasurface could switch from symmetric transmission to asymmetric transmission at a certain gap value. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the interference between the forward diffracted waves scattered by the surface bound waves at two air-AGM interfaces, which is apparently influenced by the interlayer distance. We further utilize the hybrid acoustic elements to construct the desired gradient metasurface with a tunable gap and validate the controllable asymmetric transmission with full-wave simulations. Our work provides the solution for actively controlling the transmission property of an acoustic element, which shows potential application in acoustic communication as a dynamic tunable acoustic diode.

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.

Lasers '81

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

Collins, C.B.

1982-01-01

Progress in lasers is discussed. The subjects addressed include: excimer lasers, surface spectroscopy, modern laser spectroscopy, free electron lasers, cavities and propagation, lasers in medicine, X-ray and gamma ray lasers, laser spectroscopy of small molecules and clusters, optical bistability, excitons, nonlinear optics in the X-ray and gamma ray regions, collective atomic phenomena, tunable IR lasers, far IR/submillimeter lasers, and laser-assisted collisions. Also treated are: special applications, multiphoton processes in atoms and small molecules, nuclear pumped lasers, material processing and applications, polarization, high energy lasers, laser chemistry, IR molecular lasers, laser applications of collision and dissociation phenomena, solid state laser materials,more » phase conjugation, advances in laser technology for fusion, metal vapor lasers, picosecond phenomena, laser ranging and geodesy, and laser photochemistry of complex molecules.« less

Recruiting physisorbed water in surface polymerization for bio-inspired materials of tunable hydrophobicity

DOE PAGES

Oyola-Reynoso, S.; Tevis, I. D.; Chen, J.; ...

2016-08-18

Here, chemical grafting has been widely used to modify the surface properties of materials, especially surface energy for controlled wetting, because of the resilience of such coatings/modifications. Reagents with multiple reactive sites have been used with the expectation that a monolayer will form. The step-growth polymerization mechanism, however, suggests the possibility of gel formation for hydrolyzable moieties in the presence of physisorbed water. In this report, we demonstrated that using alkyltrichlorosilanes (trivalent [i.e., 3 reactive sites]) in the surface modification of a cellulosic material (paper) does not yield a monolayer but rather gives surface-bound particles. We infer that the presencemore » of physisorbed (surface-bound) water allows for polymerization (or oligomerization) of the silane prior to its attachment on the surface. Surface energy mismatch between the hydrophobic tails of the growing polymer and any unreacted bound water leads to the assembly of the polymerizing material into spherical particles to minimize surface tension. By varying paper grammage (16.2–201.4 g m –2), we varied the accessible surface area and thus the amount of surface-adsorbed water, allowing us to control the ratio of the silane to the bound water. Using this approach, polymeric particles were formed on the surface of cellulose fibers ranging from ~70 nm to a film. The hydrophobicity of the surface, as determined by water contact angles, correlates with particle sizes (p < 0.001, Student's t-test), and, hence, the hydrophobicity can be tuned (contact angle between 94° and 149°). Using a model structure of a house, we demonstrated that as a result of this modification, paper-based houses can be rendered self-cleaning or tolerant to surface running water. In another application, we demonstrated that the felicitous choice of architectural design allows for the hydrophobic paper to be used for water harvesting.« less

Electrochemiluminescence energy transfer-promoted ultrasensitive immunoassay using near-infrared-emitting CdSeTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots and gold nanorods

PubMed Central

Li, Lingling; Chen, Ying; Lu, Qian; Ji, Jing; Shen, Yuanyuan; Xu, Mi; Fei, Rong; Yang, Guohai; Zhang, Kui; Zhang, Jian-Rong; Zhu, Jun-Jie

2013-01-01

The marriage of energy transfer with electrochemiluminescence has produced a new technology named electrochemiluminescence energy transfer (ECL-ET), which can realize effective and sensitive detection of biomolecules. To obtain optimal ECL-ET efficiency, perfect energy overlapped donor/acceptor pair is of great importance. Herein, we present a sensitive ECL-ET based immunosensor for the detection of tumor markers, using energy tunable CdSeTe/CdS/ZnS double shell quantum dots (QDs) and gold nanorods (GNRs) as the donor and acceptor, respectively. Firstly a facile microwave-assisted strategy for the synthesis of green- to near-infrared-emitting CdSeTe/CdS/ZnS QDs with time- and component-tunable photoluminescence was proposed. And, on the basis of the adjustable optical properties of both CdSeTe/CdS/ZnS QDs and GNRs, excellent overlap between donor emission and acceptor absorption can be obtained to ensure effective ECL-ET quenching, thus improving the sensing sensitivity. This method represents a novel approach for versatile detection of biomolecules at low concentrations. PMID:23524874

Tunable all-fiber dissipative-soliton laser with a multimode interference filter.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Hu, Jinmeng; Wang, Jianhua; Feng, Yan

2012-09-15

We report on a tunable all-fiber dissipative-soliton laser with a multimode interference filter that consists of a multimode fiber spliced between two single-mode fibers. By carefully selecting the fiber parameters, a filter with a central wavelength at 1032 nm and a bandwidth of 7.6 nm is constructed and used for spectral filtering in an all-normal-dispersion mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on nonlinear polarization evolution. The laser delivers 31 mW of average output power with positively chirped 7 ps pulses. The repetition rate of the pulses is 15.3 MHz, and pulse energy is 2.1 nJ. Tunable dissipative-soliton over 12 nm is achieved by applying tension to the single-mode-multimode-single-mode filter.

Electric-field tunable spin diode FMR in patterned PMN-PT/NiFe structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zietek, Slawomir; Ogrodnik, Piotr; Skowroński, Witold; Stobiecki, Feliks; van Dijken, Sebastiaan; Barnaś, Józef; Stobiecki, Tomasz

2016-08-01

Dynamic properties of NiFe thin films on PMN-PT piezoelectric substrate are investigated using the spin-diode method. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra of microstrips with varying width are measured as a function of magnetic field and frequency. The FMR frequency is shown to depend on the electric field applied across the substrate, which induces strain in the NiFe layer. Electric field tunability of up to 100 MHz per 1 kV/cm is achieved. An analytical model based on total energy minimization and the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, taking into account the magnetostriction effect, is used to explain the measured dynamics. Based on this model, conditions for optimal electric-field tunable spin diode FMR in patterned NiFe/PMN-PT structures are derived.

Tunable nano-wrinkling of chiral surfaces: Structure and diffraction optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rofouie, P.; Pasini, D.; Rey, A. D.

2015-09-01

Periodic surface nano-wrinkling is found throughout biological liquid crystalline materials, such as collagen films, spider silk gland ducts, exoskeleton of beetles, and flower petals. These surface ultrastructures are responsible for structural colors observed in some beetles and plants that can dynamically respond to external conditions, such as humidity and temperature. In this paper, the formation of the surface undulations is investigated through the interaction of anisotropic interfacial tension, swelling through hydration, and capillarity at free surfaces. Focusing on the cellulosic cholesteric liquid crystal (CCLC) material model, the generalized shape equation for anisotropic interfaces using the Cahn-Hoffman capillarity vector and the Rapini-Papoular anchoring energy are applied to analyze periodic nano-wrinkling in plant-based plywood free surfaces with water-induced cholesteric pitch gradients. Scaling is used to derive the explicit relations between the undulations' amplitude expressed as a function of the anchoring strength and the spatially varying pitch. The optical responses of the periodic nano-structured surfaces are studied through finite difference time domain simulations indicating that CCLC surfaces with spatially varying pitch reflect light in a wavelength higher than that of a CCLC's surface with constant pitch. This structural color change is controlled by the pitch gradient through hydration. All these findings provide a foundation to understand structural color phenomena in nature and for the design of optical sensor devices.

Theory of multiple quantum dot formation in strained-layer heteroepitaxy

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

Du, Lin; Maroudas, Dimitrios, E-mail: maroudas@ecs.umass.edu

2016-07-11

We develop a theory for the experimentally observed formation of multiple quantum dots (QDs) in strained-layer heteroepitaxy based on surface morphological stability analysis of a coherently strained epitaxial thin film on a crystalline substrate. Using a fully nonlinear model of surface morphological evolution that accounts for a wetting potential contribution to the epitaxial film's free energy as well as surface diffusional anisotropy, we demonstrate the formation of multiple QD patterns in self-consistent dynamical simulations of the evolution of the epitaxial film surface perturbed from its planar state. The simulation predictions are supported by weakly nonlinear analysis of the epitaxial filmmore » surface morphological stability. We find that, in addition to the Stranski-Krastanow instability, long-wavelength perturbations from the planar film surface morphology can trigger a nonlinear instability, resulting in the splitting of a single QD into multiple QDs of smaller sizes, and predict the critical wavelength of the film surface perturbation for the onset of the nonlinear tip-splitting instability. The theory provides a fundamental interpretation for the observations of “QD pairs” or “double QDs” and other multiple QDs reported in experimental studies of epitaxial growth of semiconductor strained layers and sets the stage for precise engineering of tunable-size nanoscale surface features in strained-layer heteroepitaxy by exploiting film surface nonlinear, pattern forming phenomena.« less

Direct design of an energy landscape with bistable DNA origami mechanisms.

PubMed

Zhou, Lifeng; Marras, Alexander E; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E

2015-03-11

Structural DNA nanotechnology provides a feasible technique for the design and fabrication of complex geometries even exhibiting controllable dynamic behavior. Recently we have demonstrated the possibility of implementing macroscopic engineering design approaches to construct DNA origami mechanisms (DOM) with programmable motion and tunable flexibility. Here, we implement the design of compliant DNA origami mechanisms to extend from prescribing motion to prescribing an energy landscape. Compliant mechanisms facilitate motion via deformation of components with tunable stiffness resulting in well-defined mechanical energy stored in the structure. We design, fabricate, and characterize a DNA origami nanostructure with an energy landscape defined by two stable states (local energy minima) separated by a designed energy barrier. This nanostructure is a four-bar bistable mechanism with two undeformed states. Traversing between those states requires deformation, and hence mechanical energy storage, in a compliant arm of the linkage. The energy barrier for switching between two states was obtained from the conformational distribution based on a Boltzmann probability function and closely follows a predictive mechanical model. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability to actuate the mechanism into one stable state via additional DNA inputs and then release the actuation via DNA strand displacement. This controllable multistate system establishes a foundation for direct design of energy landscapes that regulate conformational dynamics similar to biomolecular complexes.

Novel Design of Tunable Microlens with Lowered Driving Voltage and Iris with Conformal Antireflective Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almoallem, Yousuf Dawood

Miniaturizing camera systems as required in many new compact devices places a severe restriction on the device size and power consumption. In modern life nowadays, a daily used compact devices like mobile phones and tablets must have some essential components such as single or multiple tiny cameras, as a component of micro-optical systems. In fact, for most of the current miniaturized cameras, optical power is varied based on the traditional situation where the distances between the lenses are mechanically varied relying on old-fashioned voice coil motors or equivalent mechanical drivers. Spatial and power consumption could be scaled down drastically with much faster response time when the revolutionary alternative liquid tunable microlens is utilized after acquiring a good understanding of microfluidics. The influence of interfacial tension as a key metric in controlling microfluidics systems (e.g. liquid microlens) has drawn considerable attention in biomedical, industrial, military fields over the past decade. Tunable microlenses overcome aforementioned concerns of miniaturizing optical systems and present a viable solution by tuning the focal length of lenses via, for example, variation in the lens curvature. Here, a novel tunable dielectrophoretic (DEP)-based tunable lens is presented. Out of many other mechanisms of tuning the lenses, the dielectric mechanism is especially promising since having the capability to achieve a faster response and overcome the electrolysis issue. Nonetheless, DEP usually requires high driving voltage levels. The proposed design is operating with a lowered voltage level and is based on a tunable dielectric liquid lens with a double-sided electrode design, unlike in the conventional scheme with a single-sided electrode design. The design methodology, geometrical analysis, device fabrication, simulation, and testing are demonstrated. Furthermore, the design, simulation, fabrication and characterization of a black-silicon (BSi) based iris is discussed. Reducing undesirable light stray reflections from surfaces is desired in many 3D optical elements, such as supporting optomechanical mounts, irises, optical filters, solar cells, and photolithography underlying layers. BSi (as antireflective nanostructures) provides a potential economic solution which is highly absorptive across the visible spectrum to replace many currently used yet expensive coating materials. Si nanowires (SiNW) were formed using a metal-assisted chemical (MAC) etching process to get a conformal antireflective property on the iris 3D structure including sharp tips and sidewalls. A significant reduction in undesirable light stray reflections was achieved as a result of successful implementation of the conformal antireflective surface on all facets of fabricated irises to eliminate undesirable light stray reflections.

Sr{sub 2}CaW{sub x}Mo{sub 1−x}O{sub 6}:Eu{sup 3+}, Li{sup +}: An emission tunable phosphor through site symmetry and excitation wavelength

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

Xiao, Ning; Shen, Jun; Xiao, Tengjiao

2015-10-15

The emission of Eu{sup 3+} doped Sr{sub 2}CaW{sub x}Mo{sub 1−x}O{sub 6} phosphors could be tunable by the site symmetry of the activators and the excitation wavelengths. - Highlights: • The emission of Eu{sup 3+} depends on site symmetry and excitation wavelengths. • The color of the samples was tunable by structure and excitation wavelength. • The effect of W and Eu content on the properties of the samples was investigated. - Abstract: A series of Eu{sup 3+} substituted double-perovskite Sr{sub 2}CaW{sub x}Mo{sub 1−x}O{sub 6} phosphors were prepared by solid state reactions. The phase, photoluminescence and energy transfer of the phosphorsmore » were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and luminescence decay respectively. It is found that the emission of the Eu{sup 3+} substituted double perovskites depends on both the site symmetry of the activators and the excitation wavelengths. Based on the decay analysis of Sr{sub 2}CaW{sub x}Mo{sub 1−x}O{sub 6} matrix and Eu{sup 3+} doped samples, the energy transfer efficiencies between the host and activators Eu{sup 3+} were investigated. The results of the emission tunable phosphors indicate their potential applications in LEDs.« less

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.

Vortices and gate-tunable bound states in a topological insulator coupled to superconducting leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finck, Aaron; Kurter, C.; Hor, Y. S.; van Harlingen, D. J.

2014-03-01

It has been predicted that zero energy Majorana bound states can be found in the core of vortices within topological superconductors. Here, we report on Andreev spectroscopy measurements of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 with a normal metal lead and one or more niobium leads. The niobium induces superconductivity in the Bi2Se3 through the proximity effect, leading to both signatures of Andreev reflection and a prominent re-entrant resistance effect. When a large magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the surface of the Bi2Se3, we observe multiple abrupt changes in the subgap conductance that are accompanied by sharp peaks in the dynamical resistance. These peaks are very sensitive to changes in magnetic field and disappear at temperatures associated with the critical temperature of the induced superconductivity. The appearance of the transitions and peaks can be tuned by a top gate. At high magnetic fields, we also find evidence of gate-tunable states, which can lead to stable zero-bias conductance peaks. We interpret our results in terms of a transition occurring within the proximity effect region of the topological insulator, likely due to the formation of vortices. We acknowledge support from Microsoft Project Q.

Pd-Catalyzed Consecutive C-H Arylation Triggered Cyclotrimerization: Synthesis of Star-shaped Benzotristhiazoles and Benzotrisoxazoles.

PubMed

Xu, Zhanqiang; Oniwa, Kazuaki; Kikuchi, Hiromasa; Bao, Ming; Yamamoto, Yoshinori; Jin, Tienan; Terada, Masahiro

2018-05-18

Star-shaped π-extended molecules comprising discotic aromatic cores and peripheral π-conjugated arms have attracted significant attention as diverse optoelectronic materials in terms of their large π-surface, tunable self-assembly, enhanced charge transport and fluorescence, and liquid crystallinity. Although many efforts have been made in construction of various aromatic discotic cores, a new class of C3-symmetric star-shaped discotic π-molecules consisting of electron-deficient benzotristhiazole and benzotrisoxazole cores remains unexplored owing to the unachievable synthetic approaches, which are expected to exhibit distinct optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a novel and highly efficient Pd-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of the functionalized thiazoles or oxazoles for the construction of a new class of discotic molecules of benzotristhiazole and benzotrisoxazole central cores with star-shaped π-conjugated arms. The combination of Pd2(dba)3/XPhos catalyst systems with the 4-bromo-substituted thiazole enables the formation of a sufficiently stable thiazole-Pd species that participates in the subsequent C-H arylations consecutively to form the corresponding cyclic trimer products. This new class of star-shaped discotic π-extended products showed tunable energy levels and high fluorescence quantum yields that make them promising candidates in optoelectronic application. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tuning Transpiration by Interfacial Solar Absorber‐Leaf Engineering

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Shendong; Zhou, Lin; Xu, Weichao; Xu, Ning; Hu, Xiaozhen; Li, Xiuqiang; Lv, Guangxin; Zheng, Qinghui; Zhu, Shining

2017-01-01

Abstract Plant transpiration, a process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially leaves, consumes a large component of the total continental precipitation (≈48%) and significantly influences global water distribution and climate. To date, various chemical and/or biological explorations have been made to tune the transpiration but with uncertain environmental risks. In recent years, interfacial solar steam/vapor generation is attracting a lot of attention for achieving high energy transfer efficiency. Various optical and thermal designs at the solar absorber–water interface for potential applications in water purification, seawater desalination, and power generation appear. In this work, the concept of interfacial solar vapor generation is extended to tunable plant transpiration by showing for the first time that the transpiration efficiency can also be enhanced or suppressed through engineering the solar absorber–leaf interface. By tuning the solar absorption of membrane in direct touch with green leaf, surface temperature of green leaf will change accordingly because of photothermal effect, thus the transpiration efficiency as well as temperature and relative humidity in the surrounding environment will be tuned. This tunable transpiration by interfacial absorber‐leaf engineering can open an alternative avenue to regulate local atmospheric temperature, humidity, and eventually hydrologic cycle. PMID:29619300

Gold Nanoparticles with Externally Controlled, Reversible Shifts of Local Surface Plasmon Resonance Bands

PubMed Central

Yavuz, Mustafa S.; Jensen, Gary C.; Penaloza, David P.; Seery, Thomas A. P.; Pendergraph, Samuel A.; Rusling, James F.; Sotzing, Gregory A.

2010-01-01

We have achieved reversible tunability of local surface plasmon resonance in conjugated polymer functionalized gold nanoparticles. This property was facilitated by the preparation of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) containing polynorbornene brushes on gold nanoparticles via surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Reversible tuning of the surface plasmon band was achieved by electrochemically switching the EDOT polymer between its reduced and oxidized states. PMID:19839619

The Role of Water in Mediating Interfacial Adhesion and Shear Strength in Graphene Oxide.

PubMed

Soler-Crespo, Rafael A; Gao, Wei; Mao, Lily; Nguyen, Hoang T; Roenbeck, Michael R; Paci, Jeffrey T; Huang, Jiaxing; Nguyen, SonBinh T; Espinosa, Horacio D

2018-06-12

Graphene oxide (GO), whose highly tunable surface chemistry enables the formation of strong interfacial hydrogen-bond networks, has garnered increasing interest in the design of devices that operate in the presence of water. For instance, previous studies have suggested that controlling GO's surface chemistry leads to enhancements in interfacial shear strength, allowing engineers to manage deformation pathways and control failure mechanisms. However, these previous reports have not explored the role of ambient humidity and only offer extensive chemical modifications to GO's surface as the main pathway to control GO's interfacial properties. Herein, through atomic force microscopy experiments on GO-GO interfaces, the adhesion energy and interfacial shear strength of GO were measured as a function of ambient humidity. Experimental evidence shows that adhesion energy and interfacial shear strength can be improved by a factor of 2-3 when GO is exposed to moderate (∼30% water weight) water content. Furthermore, complementary molecular dynamics simulations uncovered the mechanisms by which these nanomaterial interfaces achieve their properties. They reveal that the strengthening mechanism arises from the formation of strongly interacting hydrogen-bond networks, driven by the chemistry of the GO basal plane and intercalated water molecules between two GO surfaces. In summary, the methodology and findings here reported provide pathways to simultaneously optimize GO's interfacial and in-plane mechanical properties, by tailoring the chemistry of GO and accounting for water content, in engineering applications such as sensors, filtration membranes, wearable electronics, and structural materials.

Quantum state-resolved energy transfer dynamics at gas-liquid interfaces: IR laser studies of CO2 scattering from perfluorinated liquids.

PubMed

Perkins, Bradford G; Häber, Thomas; Nesbitt, David J

2005-09-01

An apparatus for detailed study of quantum state-resolved inelastic energy transfer dynamics at the gas-liquid interface is described. The approach relies on supersonic jet-cooled molecular beams impinging on a continuously renewable liquid surface in a vacuum and exploits sub-Doppler high-resolution laser absorption methods to probe rotational, vibrational, and translational distributions in the scattered flux. First results are presented for skimmed beams of jet-cooled CO(2) (T(beam) approximately 15 K) colliding at normal incidence with a liquid perfluoropolyether (PFPE) surface at E(inc) = 10.6(8) kcal/mol. The experiment uses a tunable Pb-salt diode laser for direct absorption on the CO(2) nu(3) asymmetric stretch. Measured rotational distributions in both 00(0)0 and 01(1)0 vibrational manifolds indicate CO(2) inelastically scatters from the liquid surface into a clearly non-Boltzmann distribution, revealing nonequilibrium dynamics with average rotational energies in excess of the liquid (T(s) = 300 K). Furthermore, high-resolution analysis of the absorption profiles reveals that Doppler widths correspond to temperatures significantly warmer than T(s) and increase systematically with the J rotational state. These rotational and translational distributions are consistent with two distinct gas-liquid collision pathways: (i) a T approximately 300 K component due to trapping-desorption (TD) and (ii) a much hotter distribution (T approximately 750 K) due to "prompt" impulsive scattering (IS) from the gas-liquid interface. By way of contrast, vibrational populations in the CO(2) bending mode are inefficiently excited by scattering from the liquid, presumably reflecting much slower T-V collisional energy transfer rates.

Laser-initiated explosive electron emission from flat germanium crystals

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

Porshyn, V., E-mail: porshyn@uni-wuppertal.de; Mingels, S.; Lützenkirchen-Hecht, D.

2016-07-28

Flat Sb-doped germanium (100) crystals were investigated in the triode configuration under pulsed tunable laser illumination (pulse duration t{sub laser} = 3.5 ns and photon energy hν = 0.54–5.90 eV) and under DC voltages <10{sup 4} V. Large bunch charges up to ∼1 μC were extracted from the cathodes for laser pulses >1 MW/cm{sup 2} corresponding to a high quantum efficiency up to 3.3% and cathode currents up to 417 A. This laser-induced explosive electron emission (EEE) from Ge was characterized by its voltage-, laser power- and hν-sensitivity. The analysis of the macroscopic surface damage caused by the EEE is included as well. Moreover, we have carried out firstmore » direct measurements of electron energy distributions produced during the EEE from the Ge samples. The measured electron spectra hint for electron excitations to the vacuum level of the bulk and emission from the plasma plume with an average kinetic energy of ∼0.8 eV.« less

Tuning the free-energy landscape of a WW domain by temperature, mutation, and truncation

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Houbi; Jäger, Marcus; Moretto, Alessandro; Gruebele, Martin; Kelly, Jeffery W.

2003-01-01

The equilibrium unfolding of the Formin binding protein 28 (FBP) WW domain, a stable three-stranded β-sheet protein, can be described as reversible apparent two-state folding. Kinetics studied by laser temperature jump reveal a third state at temperatures below the midpoint of unfolding. The FBP free-energy surface can be tuned between three-state and two-state kinetics by changing the temperature, by truncation of the C terminus, or by selected point mutations. FBP WW domain is the smallest three-state folder studied to date and the only one that can be freely tuned between three-state and apparent two-state folding by several methods (temperature, truncation, and mutation). Its small size (28–37 residues), the availability of a quantitative reaction coordinate (φT), the fast folding time scale (10s of μs), and the tunability of the folding routes by small temperature or sequence changes make this system the ideal prototype for studying more subtle features of the folding free-energy landscape by simulations or analytical theory. PMID:12651955

Plasmon Modes of Graphene Nanoribbons with Periodic Planar Arrangements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacacela Gomez, C.; Pisarra, M.; Gravina, M.; Pitarke, J. M.; Sindona, A.

2016-09-01

Among their amazing properties, graphene and related low-dimensional materials show quantized charge-density fluctuations—known as plasmons—when exposed to photons or electrons of suitable energies. Graphene nanoribbons offer an enhanced tunability of these resonant modes, due to their geometrically controllable band gaps. The formidable effort made over recent years in developing graphene-based technologies is however weakened by a lack of predictive modeling approaches that draw upon available ab initio methods. An example of such a framework is presented here, focusing on narrow-width graphene nanoribbons, organized in periodic planar arrays. Time-dependent density-functional calculations reveal unprecedented plasmon modes of different nature at visible to infrared energies. Specifically, semimetallic (zigzag) nanoribbons display an intraband plasmon following the energy-momentum dispersion of a two-dimensional electron gas. Semiconducting (armchair) nanoribbons are instead characterized by two distinct intraband and interband plasmons, whose fascinating interplay is extremely responsive to either injection of charge carriers or increase in electronic temperature. These oscillations share some common trends with recent nanoinfrared imaging of confined edge and surface plasmon modes detected in graphene nanoribbons of 100-500 nm width.

Tuning the free-energy landscape of a WW domain by temperature, mutation, and truncation.

PubMed

Nguyen, Houbi; Jager, Marcus; Moretto, Alessandro; Gruebele, Martin; Kelly, Jeffery W

2003-04-01

The equilibrium unfolding of the Formin binding protein 28 (FBP) WW domain, a stable three-stranded beta-sheet protein, can be described as reversible apparent two-state folding. Kinetics studied by laser temperature jump reveal a third state at temperatures below the midpoint of unfolding. The FBP free-energy surface can be tuned between three-state and two-state kinetics by changing the temperature, by truncation of the C terminus, or by selected point mutations. FBP WW domain is the smallest three-state folder studied to date and the only one that can be freely tuned between three-state and apparent two-state folding by several methods (temperature, truncation, and mutation). Its small size (28-37 residues), the availability of a quantitative reaction coordinate (phi(T)), the fast folding time scale (10s of micros), and the tunability of the folding routes by small temperature or sequence changes make this system the ideal prototype for studying more subtle features of the folding free-energy landscape by simulations or analytical theory.

Temperature control and measurement with tunable femtosecond optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Dipankar; Goswami, Debabrata

2016-09-01

We present the effects of wavelength dependent temperature rise in a femtosecond optical tweezers. Our experiments involve the femtosecond trapping laser tunable from 740-820 nm at low power 25 mW to cause heating in the trapped volume within a homogeneous solution of sub micro-molar concentration of IR dye. The 780 nm high repetition rate laser acts as a resonant excitation source which helps to create the local heating effortlessly within the trapping volume. We have used both position autocorrelation and equipartion theorem to evaluate temperature at different wavelength having different absorption coefficient. Fixing the pulse width in the temporal domain gives constant bandwidth at spatial domain, which makes our system behave as a tunable temperature rise device with high precision. This observation leads us to calculate temperature as well as viscosity within the vicinity of the trapping zone. A mutual energy transfer occurs between the trapped bead and solvents that leads to transfer the thermal energy of solvents into the kinetic energy of the trap bead and vice-versa. Thus hot solvated molecules resulting from resonant and near resonant excitation of trapping wavelength can continuously dissipate heat to the trapped bead which will be reflected on frequency spectrum of Brownian noise exhibited by the bead. Temperature rise near the trapping zone can significantly change the viscosity of the medium. We observe temperature rise profile according to its Gaussian shaped absorption spectrum with different wavelength.

Engineering graphene and TMDs based van der Waals heterostructures for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion.

PubMed

Li, Changli; Cao, Qi; Wang, Faze; Xiao, Yequan; Li, Yanbo; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques; Zhu, Hongwei

2018-05-08

Graphene and two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted significant interest due to their unique properties that cannot be obtained in their bulk counterparts. These atomically thin 2D materials have demonstrated strong light-matter interactions, tunable optical bandgap structures and unique structural and electrical properties, rendering possible the high conversion efficiency of solar energy with a minimal amount of active absorber material. The isolated 2D monolayer can be stacked into arbitrary van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures without the need to consider lattice matching. Several combinations of 2D/3D and 2D/2D materials have been assembled to create vdWs heterojunctions for photovoltaic (PV) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) energy conversion. However, the complex, less-constrained, and more environmentally vulnerable interface in a vdWs heterojunction is different from that of a conventional, epitaxially grown heterojunction, engendering new challenges for surface and interface engineering. In this review, the physics of band alignment, the chemistry of surface modification and the behavior of photoexcited charge transfer at the interface during PV and PEC processes will be discussed. We will present a survey of the recent progress and challenges of 2D/3D and 2D/2D vdWs heterojunctions, with emphasis on their applicability to PV and PEC devices. Finally, we will discuss emerging issues yet to be explored for 2D materials to achieve high solar energy conversion efficiency and possible strategies to improve their performance.

Enhanced optical transmission through double-overlapped annular aperture array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chaonan; Bai, Ming; Jin, Ming

2012-07-01

In this paper, transmission properties through an array of concentric or eccentric double-overlapped annular apertures (CDOAAs or EDOAAs) are investigated. It is demonstrated that local surface plasmon-assisted TE11-like modes in CDOAAs exhibit a blue shift with the increasing overlapped factor. For EDOAAs with asymmetric annular apertures in both directions, a new resonant peak can be excited at a larger wavelength using linearly polarised light, which corresponds to extreme field localisation around the narrowest gap attributed to the gap plasmons' excitation and is quite sensitive to the offset of the eccentric centre island. These properties provide a possible method to achieve multiplexed and tunable wavelength selection using different local surface plasmon resonances and are of significant potential applicable value to the designing of tunable optical devices.

Tunable antenna radome based on graphene frequency selective surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Meijun; Rao, Menglou; Li, Shufang; Deng, Li

2017-09-01

In this paper, a graphene-based frequency selective surface (FSS) is proposed. The proposed FSS exhibits a tunable bandpass filtering characteristic due to the alterable conductivity of the graphene strips which is controlled by chemical potential. Based on the reconfigurable bandpass property of the proposed FSS, a cylindrical antenna radome is designed using the FSS unit cells. A conventional omnidirectional dipole can realize a two-beam directional pattern when it is placed into the proposed antenna radome. Forward and backward endfire radiations of the dipole loaded with the radome is realized by properly adjusting the chemical potential. The proposed antenna radome is extremely promising for beam-scanning in terahertz and mid-infrared plasmonic devices and systems when the gain of a conventional antenna needs to be enhanced.

Tunable Oleo-Furan Surfactants by Acylation of Renewable Furans

DOE PAGES

Park, Dae Sung; Joseph, Kristeen E.; Koehle, Maura; ...

2016-10-19

One important advance in fluid surface control was the amphiphilic surfactant composed of coupled molecular structures (i.e., hydrophilic and hydrophobic) to reduce surface tension between two distinct fluid phases. However, implementation of simple surfactants has been hindered by the broad range of applications in water containing alkaline earth metals (i.e., hard water). This disrupts surfactant function and requires extensive use of undesirable and expensive chelating additives. We show that sugar-derived furans can be linked with triglyceride-derived fatty acid chains via Friedel–Crafts acylation within single layer (SPP) zeolite catalysts. Finally, these alkylfuran surfactants independently suppress the effects of hard water whilemore » simultaneously permitting broad tunability of size, structure, and function, which can be optimized for superior capability for forming micelles and solubilizing in water.« less

Tunable Oleo-Furan Surfactants by Acylation of Renewable Furans

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

Park, Dae Sung; Joseph, Kristeen E.; Koehle, Maura

2016-11-23

An important advance in fluid surface control was the amphiphilic surfactant comprised of coupled molecular structures (i.e. hydrophilic and hydrophobic) to reduce surface tension between two distinct fluid phases. However, implementation of simple surfactants has been hindered by the broad range of applications in water containing alkaline earth metals (i.e. hard water), which disrupt surfactant function and require extensive use of undesirable and expensive chelating additives. Here we show that sugar-derived furans can be linked with triglyceride-derived fatty acid chains via Friedel-Crafts acylation within single layer (SPP) zeolite catalysts. These alkylfuran surfactants independently suppress the effects of hard water whilemore » simultaneously permitting broad tunability of size, structure, and function, which can be optimized for superior capability for forming micelles and solubilizing in water.« less

Design of tunable ultraviolet (UV) absorbance by controlling the Agsbnd Al co-sputtering deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin-Yuan; Chen, Lei; Wang, Yaxin; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Jinghai; Choi, Hyun Chul; Jung, Young Mee

2018-05-01

Changing the structure and composition of a material can alter its properties; hence, the controlled fabrication of metal nanostructures plays a key role in a wide range of applications. In this study, the structure of Agsbnd Al ordered arrays fabricated by co-sputtering deposition onto a monolayer colloidal crystal significantly increased its ultraviolet (UV) absorbance owing to a tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. By increasing the spacing between two nanospheres and the content of aluminum, absorbance in the UV region could be changed from UVA (320-400 nm) to UVC (200-275 nm), and the LSPR peak in the visible region gradually shifted to the UV region. This provides the potential for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in both the UV and visible regions.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering on periodic metal nanotips with tunable sharpness.

PubMed

Linn, Nicholas C; Sun, Chih-Hung; Arya, Ajay; Jiang, Peng; Jiang, Bin

2009-06-03

This paper reports on a scalable bottom-up technology for producing periodic gold nanotips with tunable sharpness as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. Inverted silicon pyramidal pits, which are templated from non-close-packed colloidal crystals prepared by a spin-coating technology, are used as structural templates to replicate arrays of polymer nanopyramids with nanoscale sharp tips. The deposition of a thin layer of gold on the polymer nanopyramids leads to the formation of SERS-active substrates with a high enhancement factor (up to 10(8)). The thickness of the deposited metal determines the sharpness of the nanotips and the resulting Raman enhancement factor. Finite-element electromagnetic modeling shows that the nanotips can significantly enhance the local electromagnetic field and the sharpness of nanotips greatly affects the SERS enhancement.

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.

Phase-slope and phase measurements of tunable CW-THz radiation with terahertz comb for wide-dynamic-range, high-resolution, distance measurement of optically rough object.

PubMed

Yasui, Takeshi; Fujio, Makoto; Yokoyama, Shuko; Araki, Tsutomu

2014-07-14

Phase measurement of continuous-wave terahertz (CW-THz) radiation is a potential tool for direct distance and imaging measurement of optically rough objects due to its high robustness to optical rough surfaces. However, the 2π phase ambiguity in the phase measurement of single-frequency CW-THz radiation limits the dynamic range of the measured distance to the order of the wavelength used. In this article, phase-slope measurement of tunable CW-THz radiation with a THz frequency comb was effectively used to extend the dynamic range up to 1.834 m while maintaining an error of a few tens µm in the distance measurement of an optically rough object. Furthermore, a combination of phase-slope measurement of tunable CW-THz radiation and phase measurement of single-frequency CW-THz radiation enhanced the distance error to a few µm within the dynamic range of 1.834 m without any influence from the 2π phase ambiguity. The proposed method will be a powerful tool for the construction and maintenance of large-scale structures covered with optically rough surfaces.

Starch functionalized biodegradable semi-IPN as a pH-tunable controlled release platform for memantine.

PubMed

Ganguly, Sayan; Maity, Tushar; Mondal, Subhadip; Das, Poushali; Das, Narayan C

2017-02-01

Sequentially prepared semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) has been developed here via Michael type addition of acrylic acid (AA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) on to starch. The semi-IPN hydrogel have proficiency in fast water imbibition towards gel network and swelling tunable character with pH alteration in ambient condition. The synthesized gel has been characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm Michael type grafting of monomers on to starch. The surface morphology, observed from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) exhibited corrugated rough surface on hydrogel which enhances the fast water uptake feature by anomalous Fickian case II diffusion mechanism. Grafting reaction also improves its thermal stability which has been confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Biodegradation study with hen egg lysozyme medium reveals the accelerated enzymatic scission of the starch backbone and progressive mass loss. Degradation of the hydrogel around 60% of its primary mass has been observed within 7days. The physicochemical characterizations of this hydrogel suggest this as a promising pH-tunable, biodegradable candidate for control drug delivery vehicle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Methanol Coupling on SrTiO 3 from First Principles

DOE PAGES

Huang, Runhong; Fung, Victor; Zhang, Yafen; ...

2018-03-19

Perovskites are interesting materials for catalysis due to their great tunability. However, the correlation of many reaction processes to the termination of a perovskite surface is still unclear. In this paper, we use the methanol coupling reaction on the SrTiO 3(100) surface as a probe reaction to investigate direct C–C coupling from a computational perspective. We use density functional theory to assess methanol adsorption, C–H activation, and direct C–C coupling reactions on the SrTiO 3(100) surface of different terminations. We find that, although methanol molecules dissociatively adsorb on both A and B terminations with similar strength, the dehydrogenation and C–Cmore » coupling reactions have significantly lower activation energies on the B termination than on the A termination. The predicted formation of methoxy and acetate on the SrTiO 3(100) B termination can well explain the ambient-pressure XPS data of methanol on the single-crystal SrTiO 3(100) surface at 250 °C. Finally, this work suggests that a choice of B termination of perovskites would be beneficial for the C–C coupling reaction of methanol.« less

Liquid-solid surface phase transformation of fluorinated fullerene on monolayer tungsten diselenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Zhibo; Wang, Qixing; Li, Ming-Yang; Li, Lain-Jong; Zheng, Yu Jie; Wang, Zhuo; Lin, Tingting; Chi, Dongzhi; Ding, Zijing; Huang, Yu Li; Thye Shen Wee, Andrew

2018-04-01

Hybrid van der Waals heterostructures constructed by the integration of organic molecules and two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials have useful tunable properties for flexible electronic devices. Due to the chemically inert and atomically smooth nature of the TMD surface, well-defined crystalline organic films form atomically sharp interfaces facilitating optimal device performance. Here, the surface phase transformation of the supramolecular packing structure of fluorinated fullerene (C60F48 ) on single-layer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) is revealed by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, from thermally stable liquid to solid phases as the coverage increases. Statistical analysis of the intermolecular interaction potential reveals that the repulsive dipole-dipole interaction induced by interfacial charge transfer and substrate-mediated interactions play important roles in stabilizing the liquid C60F48 phases. Theoretical calculations further suggest that the dipole moment per C60F48 molecule varies with the surface molecule density, and the liquid-solid transformation could be understood from the perspective of the thermodynamic free energy for open systems. This study offers insights into the growth behavior at 2D organic/TMD hybrid heterointerfaces.

Integrated ultraviolet and tunable mid-infrared laser source for analyses of proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazama, Hisanao; Takatani, Yoshiaki; Awazu, Kunio

2007-02-01

Mass spectrometry using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) technique is one of the most widely used method to analyze proteins in biological research fields. However, it is difficult to analyze insoluble proteins which have important roles in researches on disease mechanisms or in developments of drugs by using ultraviolet (UV) lasers which have commonly been used for MALDI. Recently, a significant improvement in MALDI process of insoluble proteins using a combination of a UV nitrogen laser and a tunable mid-infrared (MIR) free electron laser (FEL) was reported. Since the FEL is a very large and expensive equipment, we have developed a tabletop laser source which can generate both UV and tunable MIR lasers. A tunable MIR laser (5.5-10 μm) was obtained by difference frequency generation (DFG) between a Nd:YAG and a tunable Cr:forsterite lasers using two AgGaS II crystals. The MIR laser can generate pulses with an energy of up to 1.4 mJ at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. A UV laser was obtained by third harmonic generation of a Nd:YAG laser splitted from that used for DFG. A time interval between the UV and the MIR laser pulses can be adjusted with a variable optical delay.

Study of Chemistry and Structure-Property Relationship on Tunable Plasmonic Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Hao

In this dissertation, the rational design and controllable fabrication of an array of novel plasmonic nanostructures with geometrically tunable optical properties are demonstrated, including metal-semiconductor hybrid hetero-nanoparticles, bimetallic noble metal nanoparticles and hollow nanostructures (nanobox and nanocage). Firstly, I have developed a robust wet chemistry approach to the geometry control of Ag-Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles through epitaxial growth of Cu2O nanoshells on the surfaces of various Ag nanostructures, such as quasi-spherical nanoparticles, nanocubes, and nanocuboids. Precise control over the core and the shell geometries enables me to develop detailed, quantitative understanding of how the Cu2O nanoshells introduce interesting modifications to the resonance frequencies and the extinction spectral line shapes of multiple plasmon modes of the Ag cores. Secondly, I present a detailed and systematic study of the controlled overgrowth of Pd on Au nanorods. The overgrowth of Pd nanoshells with fine-controlled dimensions and architectures on single-crystalline Au nanorods through seed-mediated growth protocol in the presence of various surfactants is investigated. Thirdly, I have demonstrated that creation of high-index facets on subwavelength metallic nanoparticles provides a unique approach to the integration of desired plasmonic and catalytic properties on the same nanoparticle. Through site-selective surface etching of metallic nanocuboids whose surfaces are dominated by low-index facets, I have controllably fabricated nanorice and nanodumbbell particles, which exhibit drastically enhanced catalytic activities arising from the catalytically active high index facets abundant on the particle surfaces. And the nanorice and nanodumbbell particles also possess appealing tunable plasmonic properties that allow us to gain quantitative insights into nanoparticle-catalyzed reactions with unprecedented sensitivity and detail through time-resolved plasmon-enhanced spectroscopic measurements, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Last but not least, I have demonstrated that the capability of geometry control over Ag-Pd bimetallic hollow nanostructures through nanoscale galvanic replacement can be greatly enhanced by the use of appropriate mild reducing agents, such as ascorbic acid and formaldehyde. With the aid of mild reducing agents, we have been able to fine-tailor the compositions, interior architectures, and surface morphologies of Ag-Pd bimetallic hollow nanoparticles with increased structural complexity through surface ligand-free galvanic replacement processes at room temperature. This reducing agent-mediated galvanic replacement provides a unique way of achieving both enhanced optical tunability and optimized catalytic activities through deliberate control over the geometries of complex Ag-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles.

2-dimensional ion velocity distributions measured by laser-induced fluorescence above a radio-frequency biased silicon wafer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Nathaniel B.; Gekelman, Walter; Pribyl, Patrick; Zhang, Yiting; Kushner, Mark J.

2013-08-01

The dynamics of ions traversing sheaths in low temperature plasmas are important to the formation of the ion energy distribution incident onto surfaces during microelectronics fabrication. Ion dynamics have been measured using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in the sheath above a 30 cm diameter, 2.2 MHz-biased silicon wafer in a commercial inductively coupled plasma processing reactor. The velocity distribution of argon ions was measured at thousands of positions above and radially along the surface of the wafer by utilizing a planar laser sheet from a pulsed, tunable dye laser. Velocities were measured both parallel and perpendicular to the wafer over an energy range of 0.4-600 eV. The resulting fluorescence was recorded using a fast CCD camera, which provided resolution of 0.4 mm in space and 30 ns in time. Data were taken at eight different phases during the 2.2 MHz cycle. The ion velocity distributions (IVDs) in the sheath were found to be spatially non-uniform near the edge of the wafer and phase-dependent as a function of height. Several cm above the wafer the IVD is Maxwellian and independent of phase. Experimental results were compared with simulations. The experimental time-averaged ion energy distribution function as a function of height compare favorably with results from the computer model.

Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Materials for Sodium Energy Storage.

PubMed

Zou, Guoqiang; Hou, Hongshuai; Ge, Peng; Huang, Zhaodong; Zhao, Ganggang; Yin, Dulin; Ji, Xiaobo

2018-01-01

Recently, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are extensively explored and are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for electrochemical energy conversion and storage, owing to the abundant raw material resources, low cost, and similar electrochemical behavior of elemental sodium compared to lithium. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted enormous attention due to their high surface areas, tunable structures, and diverse applications in drug delivery, gas storage, and catalysis. Recently, there has been an escalating interest in exploiting MOF-derived materials as anodes for sodium energy storage due to their fast mass transport resulting from their highly porous structures and relatively simple preparation methods originating from in situ thermal treatment processes. In this Review, the recent progress of the sodium-ion storage performances of MOF-derived materials, including MOF-derived porous carbons, metal oxides, metal oxide/carbon nanocomposites, and other materials (e.g., metal phosphides, metal sulfides, and metal selenides), as SIB anodes is systematically and completely presented and discussed. Moreover, the current challenges and perspectives of MOF-derived materials in electrochemical energy storage are discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Luminescent properties and energy transfer of luminescent carbon dots assembled mesoporous Al(2)O(3): Eu(3) co-doped materials for temperature sensing.

PubMed

He, Youling; He, Jiangling; Zhang, Haoran; Liu, Yingliang; Lei, Bingfu

2017-06-15

Owning to the hydrogen-band interactions, blue-light-emitting luminescent carbon dots (CDs) synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal treatment were successfully assembled into Eu 3+ doped mesoporous aluminas (MAs). Interesting, dual-emissive CDs/MAs co-doped materials with higher quantum yield (QY), long-term stability, mesoporous structure, high thermal stability, and large surface areas were obtained. Furthermore, the obtained CDs/MAs co-doped materials possessed tunable color, and excellent temperature sensitivity due to the existing of energy transfer between CDs and Eu 3+ ion. The energy transfer efficiency (η) and energy transfer probability (P) for CDs/Eu 3+ co-doped materials possessed a monotonous tendency with the change of Eu 3+ content. More importantly, the dual-emissive colors can be regularly adjusted through regulating their excitation wavelength or relative mass ratio. In addition, the emission intensity of the CDs/MAs co-doped materials gradually decreased with increasing temperature showing the clear temperature dependence, this dual-emissive thermometer was with high sensitivity, owning a great fitted curve in the range from 100 to 360K under a single wavelength excitation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlled growth of ZnO/Zn₁-xPbxSe core-shell nanowires and their interfacial electronic energy alignment.

PubMed

Chen, Z H; Yeung, S Y; Li, H; Qian, J C; Zhang, W J; Li, Y Y; Bello, I

2012-05-21

ZnO/Zn(1-x)Pb(x)Se core-shell nanowires (NWs) have been synthesized by a solution based surface ion transfer method at various temperatures. The energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) mapping of single NWs suggests that the Zn, Pb and Se atoms are uniformly distributed in their shell layers. The ternary Zn(1-x)Pb(x)Se layers with tunable bandgaps extend the band-edge of optical absorption from 450 nm to 700 nm contrasting with the binary ZnSe layers. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopic (UPS) analysis reveals a transition from the type I to type II band alignment when the x fraction decreases from 0.66 to the value of 0.36 in the nanoshell layers. This quantitative investigation of electronic energy levels at ZnO and Zn(1-x)Pb(x)Se interfaces indicates that the proper type II band alignment is well suited for photovoltaic energy conversion. The photovoltaic cells comprising a ZnO/Zn(1-x)Pb(x)Se nano-heterojunction with the optimized Pb content are expected to be more efficient than the devices sensitized by binary ZnSe or PbSe.

Terahertz artificial birefringence and tunable phase shifter based on dielectric metasurface with compound lattice.

PubMed

Ji, Yun-Yun; Fan, Fei; Chen, Meng; Yang, Lei; Chang, Sheng-Jiang

2017-05-15

A dielectric metasurface with line-square compound lattice structure has been fabricated and demonstrated in the terahertz (THz) regime by the THz time-domain spectroscopy and numerical simulation. A polarization dependent electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect is achieved in this metasurface due to the mode coupling and interference between the resonance modes in line and square subunits of the metasurface. Accompany with the EIT effect, a large artificial birefringence effect between two orthogonal polarization states is also observed in this compound metasurface, of which birefringence is over 0.6. Furthermore, the liquid crystals are filled on the surface of this dielectric metasurface to fabricate an electrically tunable THz LC phase shifter. The experimental results show that its tunable phase shift under the biased electric field reaches 0.33π, 1.8 times higher than the bare silicon, which confirms the enhancement role of THz microstructure on the LC phase shift in the THz regime. The large birefringence phase shift of this compound metasurface and its LC tunable phase shifter will be of great significance for potential applications in THz polarization and phase devices.

Tunable inverse topological heterostructure utilizing ( B i 1 - x I n x ) 2 S e 3 and multichannel weak-antilocalization effect

DOE PAGES

Brahlek, Matthew J.; Koirala, Nikesh; Liu, Jianpeng; ...

2016-03-10

In typical topological insulator (TI) systems the TI is bordered by a non-TI insulator, and the surrounding conventional insulators, including vacuum, are not generally treated as part of the TI system. Here, we implement a material system where the roles are reversed, and the topological surface states form around the non-TI (instead of the TI) layers. This is realized by growing a layer of the tunable non-TI (Bi 1-xIn x) 2Se 3 in between two layers of the TI Bi 2Se 3 using the atomically precise molecular beam epitaxy technique. On this tunable inverse topological platform, we systematically vary themore » thickness and the composition of the (Bi 1-xIn x) 2Se 3 layer and show that this tunes the coupling between the TI layers from strongly coupled metallic to weakly coupled, and finally to a fully decoupled insulating regime. This system can be used to probe the fundamental nature of coupling in TI materials and provides a tunable insulating layer for TI devices.« less

Experimental validation of tunable features in laser-induced plasma resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colón Quiñones, Roberto A.; Cappelli, Mark A.

2017-08-01

Measurements are presented which examine the use of gaseous plasma elements as highly-tunable resonators. The resonator considered here is a laser-induced plasma kernel generated by focusing the fundamental output from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser through a lens and into a gas at constant pressure. The near-ellipsoidal plasma element interacts with incoming microwave radiation through excitation of low-order, electric-dipole resonances similar to those seen in metallic spheres. The tunability of these elements stems from the dispersive nature of plasmas arising from their variable electron density, electron momentum transfer collision frequency, and the concomitant e↵ect of these properties on the excited surface plasmon resonance. Experiments were carried out in the Ku band of the microwave spectrum to characterize the scattering properties of these resonators for di↵erent values of electron density. The experimental results are compared with results from theoretical approximations and finite element method electromagnetic simulations. The described tunable resonators have the potential to be used as the building blocks in a new class of all-plasma metamaterials with fully three-dimensional structural flexibility.

Electric Switching of Fluorescence Decay in Gold-Silica-Dye Nematic Nanocolloids Mediated by Surface Plasmons.

PubMed

Jiang, Li; Mundoor, Haridas; Liu, Qingkun; Smalyukh, Ivan I

2016-07-26

Tunable composite materials with interesting physical behavior can be designed through integrating unique optical properties of solid nanostructures with facile responses of soft matter to weak external stimuli, but this approach remains challenged by their poorly controlled coassembly at the mesoscale. Using scalable wet chemical synthesis procedures, we fabricated anisotropic gold-silica-dye colloidal nanostructures and then organized them into the device-scale (demonstrated for square-inch cells) electrically tunable composites by simultaneously invoking molecular and colloidal self-assembly. We show that the ensuing ordered colloidal dispersions of shape-anisotropic nanostructures exhibit tunable fluorescence decay rates and intensity. We characterize how these properties depend on low-voltage fields and polarization of both the excitation and emission light, demonstrating a great potential for the practical realization of an interesting breed of nanostructured composite materials.

Method and apparatus for enhancing laser absorption sensitivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, Christopher R. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A simple optomechanical method and apparatus is described for substantially reducing the amplitude of unwanted multiple interference fringes which often limit the sensitivities of tunable laser absorption spectrometers. An exterior cavity is defined by partially transmissible surfaces such as a laser exit plate, a detector input, etc. That cavity is spoiled by placing an oscillating plate in the laser beam. For tunable diode laser spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region, a Brewster-plate spoiler allows the harmonic detection of absorptances of less than 10 to the -5 in a single laser scan. Improved operation is achieved without subtraction techniques, without complex laser frequency modulation, and without distortion of the molecular lineshape signal. The technique is applicable to tunable lasers operating from UV to IR wavelengths and in spectrometers which employ either short or long pathlengths, including the use of retroreflectors or multipass cells.

Mixed-Halide Perovskites with Stabilized Bandgaps.

PubMed

Xiao, Zhengguo; Zhao, Lianfeng; Tran, Nhu L; Lin, Yunhui Lisa; Silver, Scott H; Kerner, Ross A; Yao, Nan; Kahn, Antoine; Scholes, Gregory D; Rand, Barry P

2017-11-08

One merit of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites is their tunable bandgap by adjusting the halide stoichiometry, an aspect critical to their application in tandem solar cells, wavelength-tunable light emitting diodes (LEDs), and lasers. However, the phase separation of mixed-halide perovskites caused by light or applied bias results in undesirable recombination at iodide-rich domains, meaning open-circuit voltage (V OC ) pinning in solar cells and infrared emission in LEDs. Here, we report an approach to suppress halide redistribution by self-assembled long-chain organic ammonium capping layers at nanometer-sized grain surfaces. Using the stable mixed-halide perovskite films, we are able to fabricate efficient and wavelength-tunable perovskite LEDs from infrared to green with high external quantum efficiencies of up to 5%, as well as linearly tuned V OC from 1.05 to 1.45 V in solar cells.

Frequency-tunable terahertz absorber with wire-based metamaterial and graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Han; Jiang, Yan-Nan; Yang, Cheng; Zeng, Xiao-Ping

2018-01-01

We present a dynamically tunable metamaterial graphene absorber (MGA) in the terahertz regime. The unit cell of the proposed MGA consists of metal wire and graphene sheet over the grounded dielectric absorber. The MGA achieves frequency tunable characteristics via changing the chemical potential. In order to understand the absorption mechanism of this absorber, a simple equivalent circuit method has been proposed. Because the coupling between wire-based metamaterial and graphene is complicated and cannot be neglected an equivalent surface impedance was introduced and extracted for simplification. In addition to the chemical potential of graphene, the constitutive parameters of metal wire are also discussed in detail to completely understand how these factors affect the absorption properties. It is believed that this study may be useful for providing valuable guidance in the development of more advanced MGAs.

Electrically tunable graphene plasmonic quasicrystal metasurfaces for transformation optics

PubMed Central

Zeng, Chao; Liu, Xueming; Wang, Guoxi

2014-01-01

The past few years have witnessed tremendous achievements of transformation optics applied to metallic plasmonic systems. Due to the poor tunability of metals, however, the ultimate control over surface plasmons remains a challenge. Here we propose a new type of graphene plasmonic (GP) metasurfaces by shaping the dielectrics underneath monolayer graphene into specific photonic crystals. The radial and axial gradient-index (GRIN) lenses are implemented to demonstrate the feasibility and versatility of the proposal. It is found that the designed GP-GRIN lenses work perfectly well for focusing, collimating, and guiding the GP waves. Especially, they exhibit excellent performances in the THz regime as diverse as ultra-small focusing spot (λ0/60) and broadband electrical tunability. The proposed method offers potential opportunities in exploiting active transformational plasmonic elements operating at THz frequencies. PMID:25042132

Tunable bandgap in hybrid perovskite CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}Pb(Br{sub 3−y}X{sub y}) single crystals and photodetector applications

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

Wang, L.; Duan, R. F.; Huang, F.

We report the synthesis of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}Pb(Br{sub 3−y}X{sub y}) (X=Cl and I) single crystals via a stepwise temperature control approach. High-quality CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}Pb(Br{sub 3−y}X{sub y}) crystals with a tunable bandgap from 1.92 eV to 2.53 eV have been prepared successfully in this way. And further experiments revealed the influence of halogen content and preparation temperature on the structural and optical properties of these crystals. It is observed that chlorine can lower the critical nucleation energy, which results in crystallizing at lower temperature with the chlorine content increasing, while the nucleation energy increases slowly with increasing iodine content. Moreover,more » in contrast to Frank–van der Merwe growth with low heating rate, high heating rate leads to a mass of small size single crystals and Stranski-Krastanov growth. The single crystals with tunable band gap and impressive characteristics enable us to fabricate high performance photodetectors for different wavelengths.« less

Tunable photoluminescence and magnetic properties of Dy(3+) and Eu(3+) doped GdVO4 multifunctional phosphors.

PubMed

Liu, Yanxia; Liu, Guixia; Dong, Xiangting; Wang, Jinxian; Yu, Wensheng

2015-10-28

A series of Dy(3+) or/and Eu(3+) doped GdVO4 phosphors were successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The results indicate that the as-prepared samples are pure tetragonal phase GdVO4, taking on nanoparticles with an average size of 45 nm. Under ultraviolet (UV) light excitation, the individual Dy(3+) or Eu(3+) ion activated GdVO4 phosphors exhibit excellent emission properties in their respective regions. The mechanism of energy transfer from the VO4(3-) group and the charge transfer band (CTB) to Dy(3+) and Eu(3+) ions is proposed. Color-tunable emissions in GdVO4:Dy(3+),Eu(3+) phosphors are realized through adopting different excitation wavelengths or adjusting the appropriate concentration of Dy(3+) and Eu(3+) when excited by a single excitation wavelength. In addition, the as-prepared samples show paramagnetic properties at room temperature. This kind of multifunctional color-tunable phosphor has great potential applications in the fields of photoelectronic devices and biomedical sciences.

Tunable PhoXonic Band Gap Materials from Self-Assembly of Block Copoliymers and Colloidal Nanocrystals (NBIT Phase II)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-06

electric fields. For that, we are going to use PS - b - P2VP block copolymers as a model system, utilizing the quite versatile chemistry of the P2VP ...displays. Our efforts at Hanyang have focused on tunable PBG materials self-assembled from polystyrene- b -poly(2-vinyl pyridine) ( PS - b - P2VP ) block...small angle x-ray scattering measurements during swelling of low molecular weight PS - P2VP polymers at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source

Active Plasma Lensing for Relativistic Laser-Plasma-Accelerated Electron Beams

DOE PAGES

van Tilborg, J.; Steinke, S.; Geddes, C. G. R.; ...

2015-10-28

The compact, tunable, radially symmetric focusing of electrons is critical to laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) applications. Experiments are presented demonstrating the use of a discharge-capillary active plasma lens to focus 100-MeV-level LPA beams. The lens can provide tunable field gradients in excess of 3000 T/m, enabling cm-scale focal lengths for GeV-level beam energies and allowing LPA-based electron beams and light sources to maintain their compact footprint. For a range of lens strengths, excellent agreement with simulation was obtained.

Self-assembled DNA tetrahedral optofluidic lasers with precise and tunable gain control.

PubMed

Chen, Qiushu; Liu, Huajie; Lee, Wonsuk; Sun, Yuze; Zhu, Dan; Pei, Hao; Fan, Chunhai; Fan, Xudong

2013-09-07

We have applied self-assembled DNA tetrahedral nanostructures for the precise and tunable control of the gain in an optofluidic fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) laser. By adjusting the ratio of the donor and the acceptor attached to the tetrahedral vertices, 3.8 times reduction in the lasing threshold and 28-fold enhancement in the lasing efficiency were demonstrated. This work takes advantage of the self-recognition and self-assembly capabilities of biomolecules with well-defined structures and addressability, enabling nano-engineering of the laser down to the molecular level.

Near-field refrigeration and tunable heat exchange through four-wave mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khandekar, Chinmay; Messina, Riccardo; Rodriguez, Alejandro W.

2018-05-01

We modify and extend a recently proposed four-wave mixing scheme [C. Khandekar and A. Rodriguez, Opt. Express 25(19), 23164 (2017)] for achieving near-field thermal upconversion and energy transfer, to demonstrate efficient thermal refrigeration at low intensities ˜ 109W/m2 over a wide range of gap sizes (from tens to hundreds of nanometers) and operational temperatures (from tens to hundreds of Kelvins). We further exploit the scheme to achieve magnitude and directional tunability of near-field heat exchange between bodies held at different temperatures.

Gate-tunable resonant tunneling in double bilayer graphene heterostructures.

PubMed

Fallahazad, Babak; Lee, Kayoung; Kang, Sangwoo; Xue, Jiamin; Larentis, Stefano; Corbet, Christopher; Kim, Kyounghwan; Movva, Hema C P; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Register, Leonard F; Banerjee, Sanjay K; Tutuc, Emanuel

2015-01-14

We demonstrate gate-tunable resonant tunneling and negative differential resistance in the interlayer current-voltage characteristics of rotationally aligned double bilayer graphene heterostructures separated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) dielectric. An analysis of the heterostructure band alignment using individual layer densities, along with experimentally determined layer chemical potentials indicates that the resonance occurs when the energy bands of the two bilayer graphene are aligned. We discuss the tunneling resistance dependence on the interlayer hBN thickness, as well as the resonance width dependence on mobility and rotational alignment.

Origin and tunability of unusually large surface capacitance in doped cerium oxide studied by ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Gopal, Chirranjeevi Balaji; Gabaly, Farid El; McDaniel, Anthony H.; ...

2016-03-31

Here, the volumetric redox (chemical) capacitance of the surface of CeO 2–δ films is quantified in situ to be 100-fold larger than the bulk values under catalytically relevant conditions. Sm addition slightly lowers the surface oxygen nonstoichiometry, but effects a 10-fold enhancement in surface chemical capacitance by mitigating defect interactions, highlighting the importance of differential nonstoichiometry for catalysis.

Electric-field tunable spin diode FMR in patterned PMN-PT/NiFe structures

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

Ziętek, Slawomir, E-mail: zietek@agh.edu.pl; Skowroński, Witold; Stobiecki, Tomasz

Dynamic properties of NiFe thin films on PMN-PT piezoelectric substrate are investigated using the spin-diode method. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra of microstrips with varying width are measured as a function of magnetic field and frequency. The FMR frequency is shown to depend on the electric field applied across the substrate, which induces strain in the NiFe layer. Electric field tunability of up to 100 MHz per 1 kV/cm is achieved. An analytical model based on total energy minimization and the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, taking into account the magnetostriction effect, is used to explain the measured dynamics. Based on this model, conditions formore » optimal electric-field tunable spin diode FMR in patterned NiFe/PMN-PT structures are derived.« less

Composite fabrication and polymer modification using neoteric solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eastman, Scott A.

This thesis is divided into two research initiatives: The fabrication and study of bulk, co-continuous, cellulosic-polymer composites with the aid of supercritical CO2 (SC CO2); and the study of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) modification and surface activity in ionic liquids. The first part of this thesis utilizes the tunable solubility, gas-like diffusivity, and omniphilic wettability of SC CO2 to incorporate and subsequently polymerize silicone and poly(enemer) prepolymer mixtures throughout various cellulosic substrates. Chapters two and three investigate the mechanical properties of these composites and demonstrate that nearly every resulting composite demonstrates an improved flexural modulus and energy release rate upon splitting. Fire resistance of these composites was also investigated and indicates that the heat release rate, total heat released, and char yield were significantly improved upon for all silicone composites compared to the untreated cellulosic material. Chapter four looks specifically at aspen-silicone composites for thermo-oxidative studies under applied loads in order to study the effect of silicone incorporation on the failure kinetics of aspen. The aspen-silicone composites tested under these conditions demonstrated significantly longer lifetimes under the same loading and heating conditions compared with untreated aspen. The second part of this thesis focuses on studying ionic liquids as potentially useful solvents and reaction media for poly(vinyl alcohol). Two ionic liquids (1-Butyl-3-methylimidizolium chloride and tributylethylphosphonium diethylphosphate) were found to readily dissolve PVOH. More importantly, we have demonstrated that these solvents can be used as inert reaction media for PVOH modification. Both ionic liquids were found to facilitate the quantitative esterification of PVOH, while only the phosphonium ionic liquid supports the quantitative urethanation of the polymer. In an attempt to tune the surface properties of ionic liquid/polymer solutions, PVOH was also partially esterified with low surface energy substituents. Both surface tension and surface composition of the ionic liquid/polymer solutions can be manipulated by the stoichiometric addition of low surface energy acid chlorides. This work on the modification of PVOH can be directly applied to the modification of polysaccharides such as cellulose which could have important implications from a sustainability and energy standpoint.

Landau damping of quantum plasmons in metal nanostructures

DOE PAGES

Li, Xiaoguang; Xiao, Di; Zhang, Zhenyu

2013-02-06

Using the random phase approximation with both real space and discrete electron–hole (e–h) pair basis sets, we study the broadening of surface plasmons in metal structures of reduced dimensionality, where Landau damping is the dominant dissipation channel and presents an intrinsic limitation to plasmonics technology. We show that for every prototypical class of systems considered, including zero-dimensional nanoshells, one-dimensional coaxial nanotubes and two-dimensional ultrathin films, Landau damping can be drastically tuned due to energy quantization of the individual electron levels and e–h pairs. Both the generic trend and oscillatory nature of the tunability are in stark contrast with the expectationsmore » of the semiclassical surface scattering picture. Our approach also allows to vividly depict the evolution of the plasmons from the quantum to the classical regime, and to elucidate the underlying physical origin of hybridization broadening of nearly degenerate plasmon modes. Lastly, these findings may serve as a guide in the future design of plasmonic nanostructures of desirable functionalities.« less

Green synthesis of size controllable gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan Kumar, Kesarla; Mandal, Badal Kumar; Kiran Kumar, Hoskote A.; Maddinedi, Sireesh Babu

2013-12-01

A facile rapid green eco-friendly method to synthesize gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of tunable size using aqueous Terminalia arjuna fruit extracts has been demonstrated herein. Formation of Au NPs was confirmed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) study at 528 nm using UV-visible spectrophotometer. The time of reduction, size and morphological variations of Au NPs were studied with varying quantities of T. arjuna fruit aqueous extracts. Synthesized Au NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). Polyphenols responsible for reduction of Au3+ to Au0 were identified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) as ascorbic acid, gallic acid and pyrogallol. The oxidized forms of polyphenols formed coordination with surface of Au NPs which protected their further growth and aggregation. We also propose a plausible mechanism how to tune size and shape of Au NPs by varying the quantity of extracts. Thus obtained Au NPs were stable for more than four months.

Tuning the band gap in silicene by oxidation.

PubMed

Du, Yi; Zhuang, Jincheng; Liu, Hongsheng; Xu, Xun; Eilers, Stefan; Wu, Kehui; Cheng, Peng; Zhao, Jijun; Pi, Xiaodong; See, Khay Wai; Peleckis, Germanas; Wang, Xiaolin; Dou, Shi Xue

2014-10-28

Silicene monolayers grown on Ag(111) surfaces demonstrate a band gap that is tunable by oxygen adatoms from semimetallic to semiconducting type. With the use of low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, we find that the adsorption configurations and amounts of oxygen adatoms on the silicene surface are critical for band gap engineering, which is dominated by different buckled structures in √13 × √13, 4 × 4, and 2√3 × 2√3 silicene layers. The Si-O-Si bonds are the most energy-favored species formed on √13 × √13, 4 × 4, and 2√3 × 2√3 structures under oxidation, which is verified by in situ Raman spectroscopy as well as first-principles calculations. The silicene monolayers retain their structures when fully covered by oxygen adatoms. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of tuning the band gap of silicene with oxygen adatoms, which, in turn, expands the base of available two-dimensional electronic materials for devices with properties that is hardly achieved with graphene oxide.

Nanowire Membrane-based Nanothermite: towards Processable and Tunable Interfacial Diffusion for Solid State Reactions

PubMed Central

Yang, Yong; Wang, Peng-peng; Zhang, Zhi-cheng; Liu, Hui-ling; Zhang, Jingchao; Zhuang, Jing; Wang, Xun

2013-01-01

Interfacial diffusion is of great importance in determining the performance of solid-state reactions. For nanometer sized particles, some solid-state reactions can be triggered accidently by mechanical stress owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio compared with the bulk ones. Therefore, a great challenge is the control of interfacial diffusion for solid state reactions, especially for energetic materials. Here we demonstrate, through the example of nanowire-based thermite membrane, that the thermite solid-state reaction can be easily tuned via the introduction of low-surface-energy coating layer. Moreover, this silicon-coated thermite membrane exhibit controlled wetting behavior ranging from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic and, simultaneously, to significantly reduce the friction sensitivity of thermite membrane. This effect enables to increase interfacial resistance by increasing the amount of coating material. Indeed, our results described here make it possible to tune the solid-state reactions through the manipulation of interfacial diffusion between the reactants. PMID:23603809

Two-step fabrication of ZnO-PVP composites with tunable visible emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agulto, Verdad C.; Empizo, Melvin John F.; Kawano, Keisuke; Minami, Yuki; Yamanoi, Kohei; Sarukura, Nobuhiko; Yago, Allan Christopher C.; Sarmago, Roland V.

2018-02-01

We report a two-step fabrication of zinc oxide-polyvinylpyrrolidone (ZnO-PVP) composites for potential phosphor-based applications. The composites are fabricated by initially preparing ZnO microrods using hydrothermal growth method and then dip-coating the microrods into aqueous PVP solutions with varying molar concentrations. The as-prepared ZnO microrods exhibit smooth surfaces and broad visible emissions, while the ZnO-PVP composites have pitted surfaces with shifted and reduced visible emissions. These changes in the structural and optical properties, which are found to depend on the PVP concentration, are attributed to the adsorption of PVP on the microrod surface. Although the surface morphology and visible emission are modified by PVP, the composites still maintain a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure and near-band-edge ultraviolet (UV) emission similar with the as-prepared microrods. Our results therefore suggest that the ZnO-PVP composites can be used as phosphors that offer not only properties found in both ZnO and PVP but also tunable visible emissions which can be controlled during material fabrication.

Microelectrofluidic lens for variable curvature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Jong-hyeon; Lee, Eunsung; Jung, Kyu-Dong; Lee, Seungwan; Choi, Minseog; Kim, Woonbae

2012-10-01

This paper presents a tunable liquid lens based on microelectrofluidic technology which integrates electrowetting and microfluidics. In the novel microelectrofluidic lens (MEFL), electrowetting in the hydrophobic surface channel induces the Laplace pressure difference between two fluidic interfaces on the lens aperture and the surface channel. Then, the pressure difference makes the lens curvature tunable. The previous electrowetting lens in which the contact angle changes at the side wall has a certain limitation of the curvature variation because of the contact angle saturation. Although the contact angle saturation also appears in the surface channel of the MEFL, the low surface channel increases the Laplace pressure and it makes the MEFL to have full variation of the optical power possible. The magnitude of the applied voltage determines the lens curvature in the analog mode MEFL as well as the electrowetting lens. Digital operation is also possible when the control electrodes of the MEFL are patterned to have an array. It is expected that the proposed MEFL is able to be widely used because of its full variation of the optical power without the use of oil and digital operation with fast response.

Multiresponsive Graphene-Aerogel-Directed Phase-Change Smart Fibers.

PubMed

Li, Guangyong; Hong, Guo; Dong, Dapeng; Song, Wenhui; Zhang, Xuetong

2018-06-14

Wearable devices and systems demand multifunctional units with intelligent and integrative functions. Smart fibers with response to external stimuli, such as electrical, thermal, and photonic signals, etc., as well as offering energy storage/conversion are essential units for wearable electronics, but still remain great challenges. Herein, flexible, strong, and self-cleaning graphene-aerogel composite fibers, with tunable functions of thermal conversion and storage under multistimuli, are fabricated. The fibers made from porous graphene aerogel/organic phase-change materials coated with hydrophobic fluorocarbon resin render a wide range of phase transition temperature and enthalpy (0-186 J g -1 ). The strong and compliant fibers are twisted into yarn and woven into fabrics, showing a self-clean superhydrophobic surface and excellent multiple responsive properties to external stimuli (electron/photon/thermal) together with reversible energy storage and conversion. Such aerogel-directed smart fibers promise for broad applications in the next-generation of wearable systems. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Resonant soft x-ray GISAXS on block copolymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cheng; Araki, T.; Watts, B.; Ade, H.; Hexemer, A.; Park, S.; Russell, T. P.; Schlotter, W. F.; Stein, G. E.; Tang, C.; Kramer, E. J.

2008-03-01

Ordered block copolymer thin films may have important applications in modern device fabrication. Current characterization methods such as conventional GISAXS have fixed electron density contrast that can be overwhelmed by surface scattering. However, soft x-rays have longer wavelength, energy dependent contrast and tunable penetration, making resonant GISAXS a very promising tool for probing nanostructured polymer thin films. Our preliminary investigation was performed using PS-b-P2VP block copolymer films on beam-line 5-2 SSRL, and beam-line 6.3.2 at ALS, LBNL. The contrast/sensitivity of the scattering pattern varies significantly with photon energy close to the C K-edge (˜290 eV). Also, higher order peaks are readily observed, indicating hexagonal packing structure in the sample. Comparing to the hard x-ray GISAXS data of the same system, it is clear that resonant GISAXS has richer data and better resolution. Beyond the results on the A-B diblock copolymers, results on ABC block copolymers are especially interesting.

Single-electron pulses for ultrafast diffraction

PubMed Central

Aidelsburger, M.; Kirchner, F. O.; Krausz, F.; Baum, P.

2010-01-01

Visualization of atomic-scale structural motion by ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy requires electron packets of shortest duration and highest coherence. We report on the generation and application of single-electron pulses for this purpose. Photoelectric emission from metal surfaces is studied with tunable ultraviolet pulses in the femtosecond regime. The bandwidth, efficiency, coherence, and electron pulse duration are investigated in dependence on excitation wavelength, intensity, and laser bandwidth. At photon energies close to the cathode’s work function, the electron pulse duration shortens significantly and approaches a threshold that is determined by interplay of the optical pulse width and the acceleration field. An optimized choice of laser wavelength and bandwidth results in sub-100-fs electron pulses. We demonstrate single-electron diffraction from polycrystalline diamond films and reveal the favorable influences of matched photon energies on the coherence volume of single-electron wave packets. We discuss the consequences of our findings for the physics of the photoelectric effect and for applications of single-electron pulses in ultrafast 4D imaging of structural dynamics. PMID:21041681

Synthesis of carbon core–shell pore structures and their performance as supercapacitors

DOE PAGES

Ariyanto, Teguh; Dyatkin, Boris; Zhang, Gui-Rong; ...

2015-07-15

High-power supercapacitors require excellent electrolyte mobility within the pore network and high electrical conductivity for maximum capacitance and efficiency. Achieving high power typically requires sacrificing energy densities, as the latter demands a high specific surface area and narrow porosity that impedes ion transport. Here, we present a novel solution for this optimization problem: a nanostructured core–shell carbonaceous material that exhibits a microporous carbon core surrounded by a mesoporous, graphitic shell. The tunable synthesis parameters yielded a structure that features either a sharp or a gradual transition between the core and shell sections. Electrochemical supercapacitor testing using organic electrolyte revealed thatmore » these novel core–shell materials outperform carbons with homogeneous pore structures. The hybrid core–shell materials showed a combination of good capacitance retention, typical for the carbon present in the shell and high specific capacitance, typical for the core material. These materials achieved power densities in excess of 40 kW kg -1 at energy densities reaching 27 Wh kg -1.« less

Work-Function and Surface Energy Tunable Cyanoacrylic Acid Small-Molecule Derivative Interlayer on Planar ZnO Nanorods for Improved Organic Photovoltaic Performance.

PubMed

Ambade, Swapnil B; Ambade, Rohan B; Bagde, Sushil S; Lee, Soo-Hyoung

2016-12-28

The issue of work-function and surface energy is fundamental to "decode" the critical inorganic/organic interface in hybrid organic photovoltaics, which influences important photovoltaic events like exciton dissociation, charge transfer, photocurrent (J sc ), open-circuit voltage (V oc ), etc. We demonstrate that by incorporating an interlayer of cyanoacrylic acid small molecular layer (SML) on solution-processed, spin-coated, planar ZnO nanorods (P-ZnO NRs), higher photovoltaic (PV) performances were achieved in both inverted organic photovoltaic (iOPV) and hybrid organic photovoltaic (HOPV) devices, where ZnO acts as an "electron-transporting layer" and as an "electron acceptor", respectively. For the tuned range of surface energy from 52.5 to 33 mN/m, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) iOPVs based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C 60 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC 60 BM) increases from 3.16% to 3.68%, and that based on poly[4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophen-2-yl)benzo[1,2-b;4,5b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene)-2-carboxylate-2-6-diyl)] (PTB7:Th):[6,6]-phenyl C 71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC 71 BM) photoactive BHJ increases from 6.55% to 8.0%, respectively. The improved PV performance in iOPV devices is majorly attributed to enhanced photocurrents achieved as a result of reduced surface energy and greater electron affinity from the covalent attachment of the strong electron-withdrawing cyano moiety, while that in HOPV devices, where PCE increases from 0.21% to 0.79% for SML-modified devices, is ascribed to a large increase in V oc benefitted due to reduced work function effected from the presence of strong dipole moment in SML that points away from P-ZnO NRs.

Reststrahlen Band Optics for the Advancement of Far-Infrared Optical Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streyer, William Henderson

The dissertation aims to build a case for the benefits and means of investigating novel optical materials and devices operating in the underdeveloped far-infrared (20 - 60 microns) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This dissertation and the proposed future investigations described here have the potential to further the advancement of new and enhanced capabilities in fields such as astronomy, medicine, and the petrochemical industry. The first several completed projects demonstrate techniques for developing far-infrared emission sources using selective thermal emitters, which could operate more efficiently than their simple blackbody counterparts commonly used as sources in this wavelength region. The later projects probe the possible means of linking bulk optical phonon populations through interaction with surface modes to free space photons. This is a breakthrough that would enable the development of a new class of light sources operating in the far-infrared. Chapter 1 introduces the far-infrared wavelength range along with many of its current and potential applications. The limited capabilities of the available optical architecture in this range are outlined along with a discussion of the state-of-the-art technology available in this range. Some of the basic physical concepts routinely applied in this dissertation are reviewed; namely, the Drude formalism, semiconductor Reststrahlen bands, and surface polaritons. Lastly, some of the physical challenges that impede the further advancement of far-infrared technology, despite remarkable recent success in adjacent regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, are discussed. Chapter 2 describes the experimental and computational methods employed in this dissertation. Spectroscopic techniques used to investigate both the mid-infrared and far-infrared wavelength ranges are reviewed, including a brief description of the primary instrument of infrared spectroscopy, the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Techniques for measuring infrared reflection and thermal emission at fixed and variable angles are described. Finally, the two computational methods most commonly employed in this dissertation are outlined; namely, the transfer matrix method (TMM) and rigourous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) techniques for calculating reflection and transmission spectra for layered materials. The later technique employs the first one in a Fourier space in order to efficiently calculate spectra from layered periodic structures. Chapter 3 is the first of five to present experimental work carried out in the current course of study and describes a tunable selective thermal emitter made from a thin-film metamaterial composed of germanium deposited upon a layer of highly doped silicon. The structure is essentially an interference filter with an anti-reflection coating (the germanium film) that is significantly thinner than the typical quarter wavelength thickness used in such filters - an effect enabled by the plasmonic properties of the highly doped silicon. The strong absorption band observed in reflection measurements was shown to be selective, tunable by choice of germanium thickness, and largely independent of polarization and angle of incidence. Subsequent heating of the devices demonstrated selective, tunable thermal emission. Chapter 4 describes a different approach to achieving selective, tunable thermal emission; moreover, one that operates in the far-infrared. These devices are made of gold 1D gratings patterned atop aluminum nitride films with molybdenum ground planes beneath. These devices exhibited strong selective absorption that could be tuned by choice of gold grating width. This single parameter was shown to provide absorption resonance tuning across a wide range of the far-infrared with marginal change in the strength and quality factor of the resonance. Subsequent heating of the devices with 2D gratings demonstrated polarization independent selective thermal emission. Computational models of the emission indicated the samples had significantly higher power efficiency than a blackbody at the same temperature in the same wavelength band. Chapter 5 presents selective thermal emission in the far-infrared from samples of patterned gallium phosphide. The selective absorption of the samples occurs in the material's Reststrahlen band and can be attributed to surface phonon polariton modes. The surfaces of the samples were grated via wet etching to provide the additional momentum necessary for free space photons to couple into and out of the surface phonon polariton modes. Upon heating the samples, selective thermal emission of the surface phonon polariton modes was observed. Chapter 6 investigates a potential means of linking lattice vibrations to free space photons. Lightly doped films of gallium arsenide were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and wet etched with 1D gratings. The light doping served to modify the material's intrinsic permittivity and extend the region of its Reststrahlen band. Though the extension of the region with negative real permittivity was small, it extended beyond the longitudinal optical phonon energy of the material, which stands as the high energy boundary of the unmodified material's Reststrahlen band. Hybrid surface polariton modes were observed at energies near the longitudinal optical phonon energy where they are not supported on the surface of the intrinsic material -- offering a potential bridge between bulk optical phonon populations and free space photons. Chapter 7 presents preliminary results exploring the prospect of exploiting an absorption resonance known as the Berreman mode as a mechanism to link optical phonons to free space photons. The Berreman mode is a strong absorption resonance that occurs near the longitudinal optical phonon energy at moderate angles of incidence in polar semiconductors. Preliminary results demonstrate selective thermal emission consistent with the expected spectral position of the Berreman mode in aluminum nitride (AlN), while Raman spectroscopy confirmed the spectral proximity of the longitudinal optical phonon. The final chapter summarizes the findings and outlines several suggestions for additional research directions that may further advance the pursuit of new technological capabilities in the far-infrared.

A Dual Role of Graphene Oxide Sheet Deposition on Titanate Nanowire Scaffolds for Osteo-implantation: Mechanical Hardener and Surface Activity Regulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Wenjun; Hou, Lijuan; Li, Tingting; Gong, Ziqiang; Huang, Huandi; Wang, Ge; Chen, Xiaobo; Li, Xiaoyun

2015-12-01

Scaffold biomaterials with open pores and channels are favourable for cell growth and tissue regeneration, however the inherent poor mechanical strength and low surface activity limit their applications as load-bearing bone grafts with satisfactory osseointegration. In this study, macro-porous graphene oxide (GO) modified titanate nanowire scaffolds with desirable surface chemistry and tunable mechanical properties were prepared through a simple hydrothermal process followed by electrochemical deposition of GO nanosheets. The interconnected and porous structure of the GO/titanate nanowire scaffolds provides a large surface area for cellular attachment and migration and displays a high compressive strength of approximately 81.1 MPa and a tunable Young’s modulus over the range of 12.4-41.0 GPa, which satisfies site-specific requirements for implantation. Surface chemistry of the scaffolds was modulated by the introduction of GO, which endows the scaffolds flexibility in attaching and patterning bioactive groups (such as -OH, -COOH and -NH2). In vitro cell culture tests suggest that the GO/titanate nanowire scaffolds act as a promising biomaterial candidate, in particular the one terminated with -OH groups, which demonstrates improved cell viability, and proliferation, differentiation and osteogenic activities.

A Dual Role of Graphene Oxide Sheet Deposition on Titanate Nanowire Scaffolds for Osteo-implantation: Mechanical Hardener and Surface Activity Regulator.

PubMed

Dong, Wenjun; Hou, Lijuan; Li, Tingting; Gong, Ziqiang; Huang, Huandi; Wang, Ge; Chen, Xiaobo; Li, Xiaoyun

2015-12-21

Scaffold biomaterials with open pores and channels are favourable for cell growth and tissue regeneration, however the inherent poor mechanical strength and low surface activity limit their applications as load-bearing bone grafts with satisfactory osseointegration. In this study, macro-porous graphene oxide (GO) modified titanate nanowire scaffolds with desirable surface chemistry and tunable mechanical properties were prepared through a simple hydrothermal process followed by electrochemical deposition of GO nanosheets. The interconnected and porous structure of the GO/titanate nanowire scaffolds provides a large surface area for cellular attachment and migration and displays a high compressive strength of approximately 81.1 MPa and a tunable Young's modulus over the range of 12.4-41.0 GPa, which satisfies site-specific requirements for implantation. Surface chemistry of the scaffolds was modulated by the introduction of GO, which endows the scaffolds flexibility in attaching and patterning bioactive groups (such as -OH, -COOH and -NH2). In vitro cell culture tests suggest that the GO/titanate nanowire scaffolds act as a promising biomaterial candidate, in particular the one terminated with -OH groups, which demonstrates improved cell viability, and proliferation, differentiation and osteogenic activities.

High-speed mid-infrared hyperspectral imaging using quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, David B.; Goyal, Anish K.; Zhu, Ninghui; Wood, Derek A.; Myers, Travis R.; Kotidis, Petros; Murphy, Cara; Georgan, Chelsea; Raz, Gil; Maulini, Richard; Müller, Antoine

2017-05-01

We report on a standoff chemical detection system using widely tunable external-cavity quantum cascade lasers (ECQCLs) to illuminate target surfaces in the mid infrared (λ = 7.4 - 10.5 μm). Hyperspectral images (hypercubes) are acquired by synchronously operating the EC-QCLs with a LN2-cooled HgCdTe camera. The use of rapidly tunable lasers and a high-frame-rate camera enables the capture of hypercubes with 128 x 128 pixels and >100 wavelengths in <0.1 s. Furthermore, raster scanning of the laser illumination allowed imaging of a 100-cm2 area at 5-m standoff. Raw hypercubes are post-processed to generate a hypercube that represents the surface reflectance relative to that of a diffuse reflectance standard. Results will be shown for liquids (e.g., silicone oil) and solid particles (e.g., caffeine, acetaminophen) on a variety of surfaces (e.g., aluminum, plastic, glass). Signature spectra are obtained for particulate loadings of RDX on glass of <1 μg/cm2.

Tunable Nanoantennas for Surface Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy by Colloidal Lithography and Post-Fabrication Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kai; Duy Dao, Thang; Nagao, Tadaaki

2017-03-01

We fabricated large-area metallic (Al and Au) nanoantenna arrays on Si substrates using cost-effective colloidal lithography with different micrometer-sized polystyrene spheres. Variation of the sphere size leads to tunable plasmon resonances in the middle infrared (MIR) range. The enhanced near-fields allow us to detect the surface phonon polaritons in the natural SiO2 thin layers. We demonstrated further tuning capability of the resonances by employing dry etching of the Si substrates with the nanoantennas acting as the etching masks. The effective refractive index of the nanoantenna surroundings is efficiently decreased giving rise to blueshifts of the resonances. In addition, partial removal of the Si substrates elevates the nanoantennas from the high-refractive-index substrates making more enhanced near-fields accessible for molecular sensing applications as demonstrated here with surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy for a thin polymer film. We also directly compared the plasmonic enhancement from the Al and Au nanoantenna arrays.

Colloidal inverse bicontinuous cubic membranes of block copolymers with tunable surface functional groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La, Yunju; Park, Chiyoung; Shin, Tae Joo; Joo, Sang Hoon; Kang, Sebyung; Kim, Kyoung Taek

2014-06-01

Analogous to the complex membranes found in cellular organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum, the inverse cubic mesophases of lipids and their colloidal forms (cubosomes) possess internal networks of water channels arranged in crystalline order, which provide a unique nanospace for membrane-protein crystallization and guest encapsulation. Polymeric analogues of cubosomes formed by the direct self-assembly of block copolymers in solution could provide new polymeric mesoporous materials with a three-dimensionally organized internal maze of large water channels. Here we report the self-assembly of amphiphilic dendritic-linear block copolymers into polymer cubosomes in aqueous solution. The presence of precisely defined bulky dendritic blocks drives the block copolymers to form spontaneously highly curved bilayers in aqueous solution. This results in the formation of colloidal inverse bicontinuous cubic mesophases. The internal networks of water channels provide a high surface area with tunable surface functional groups that can serve as anchoring points for large guests such as proteins and enzymes.

Flexible coherent control of plasmonic spin-Hall effect

PubMed Central

Xiao, Shiyi; Zhong, Fan; Liu, Hui; Zhu, Shining; Li, Jensen

2015-01-01

The surface plasmon polariton is an emerging candidate for miniaturizing optoelectronic circuits. Recent demonstrations of polarization-dependent splitting using metasurfaces, including focal-spot shifting and unidirectional propagation, allow us to exploit the spin degree of freedom in plasmonics. However, further progress has been hampered by the inability to generate more complicated and independent surface plasmon profiles for two incident spins, which work coherently together for more flexible and tunable functionalities. Here by matching the geometric phases of the nano-slots on silver to specific superimpositions of the inward and outward surface plasmon profiles for the two spins, arbitrary spin-dependent orbitals can be generated in a slot-free region. Furthermore, motion pictures with a series of picture frames can be assembled and played by varying the linear polarization angle of incident light. This spin-enabled control of orbitals is potentially useful for tip-free near-field scanning microscopy, holographic data storage, tunable plasmonic tweezers, and integrated optical components. PMID:26415636

Nanoporous Gold Nanocomposites as a Versatile Platform for Plasmonic Engineering and Sensing

PubMed Central

Zhao, Fusheng; Zeng, Jianbo; Shih, Wei-Chuan

2017-01-01

Plasmonic metal nanostructures have shown great potential in sensing applications. Among various materials and structures, monolithic nanoporous gold disks (NPGD) have several unique features such as three-dimensional (3D) porous network, large surface area, tunable plasmonic resonance, high-density hot-spots, and excellent architectural integrity and environmental stability. They exhibit a great potential in surface-enhanced spectroscopy, photothermal conversion, and plasmonic sensing. In this work, interactions between smaller colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and individual NPGDs are studied. Specifically, colloidal gold nanoparticles with different sizes are loaded onto NPGD substrates to form NPG hybrid nanocomposites with tunable plasmonic resonance peaks in the near-infrared spectral range. Newly formed plasmonic hot-spots due to the coupling between individual nanoparticles and NPG disk have been identified in the nanocomposites, which have been experimentally studied using extinction and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Numerical modeling and simulations have been employed to further unravel various coupling scenarios between AuNP and NPGDs. PMID:28657586

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.

Unraveling atomic-level self-organization at the plasma-material interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allain, J. P.; Shetty, A.

2017-07-01

The intrinsic dynamic interactions at the plasma-material interface and critical role of irradiation-driven mechanisms at the atomic scale during exposure to energetic particles require a priori the use of in situ surface characterization techniques. Characterization of ‘active’ surfaces during modification at atomic-scale levels is becoming more important as advances in processing modalities are limited by an understanding of the behavior of these surfaces under realistic environmental conditions. Self-organization from exposure to non-equilibrium and thermalized plasmas enable dramatic control of surface morphology, topography, composition, chemistry and structure yielding the ability to tune material properties with an unprecedented level of control. Deciphering self-organization mechanisms of nanoscale morphology (e.g. nanodots, ripples) and composition on a variety of materials including: compound semiconductors, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers and polycrystalline metals via low-energy ion-beam assisted plasma irradiation are critical to manipulate functionality in nanostructured systems. By operating at ultra-low energies near the damage threshold, irradiation-driven defect engineering can be optimized and surface-driven mechanisms controlled. Tunability of optical, electronic, magnetic and bioactive properties is realized by reaching metastable phases controlled by atomic-scale irradiation-driven mechanisms elucidated by novel in situ diagnosis coupled to atomistic-level computational tools. Emphasis will be made on tailored surface modification from plasma-enhanced environments on particle-surface interactions and their subsequent modification of hard and soft matter interfaces. In this review, we examine current trends towards in situ and in operando surface and sub-surface characterization to unravel atomic-scale mechanisms at the plasma-material interface. This work will emphasize on recent advances in the field of plasma and ion-induced nanopatterning and nanostructuring as well as ultra-thin film deposition. Future outlook will examine the critical role of complementary surface-sensitive techniques and trends towards advances in both in situ and in operando tooling.

HIGH ENERGY, HIGH BRIGHTNESS X-RAYS PRODUCED BY COMPTON BACKSCATTERING AT THE LIVERMORE PLEIADES FACILITY

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

Tremaine, A M; Anderson, S G; Betts, S

2005-05-19

PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser Electron Interaction for the Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) produces tunable 30-140 keV x-rays with 0.3-5 ps pulse lengths and up to 10{sup 7} photons/pulse by colliding a high brightness electron beam with a high power laser. The electron beam is created by an rf photo-injector system, accelerated by a 120 MeV linac, and focused to 20 {micro}m with novel permanent magnet quadrupoles. To produce Compton back scattered x-rays, the electron bunch is overlapped with a Ti:Sapphire laser that delivers 500 mJ, 100 fs, pulses to the interaction point. K-edge radiography at 115 keV on Uranium has verifiedmore » the angle correlated energy spectrum inherent in Compton scattering and high-energy tunability of the Livermore source. Current upgrades to the facility will allow laser pumping of targets synchronized to the x-ray source enabling dynamic diffraction and time-resolved studies of high Z materials. Near future plans include extending the radiation energies to >400 keV, allowing for nuclear fluorescence studies of materials.« less

Perovskite Photovoltachromic Supercapacitor with All-Transparent Electrodes.

PubMed

Zhou, Feichi; Ren, Zhiwei; Zhao, Yuda; Shen, Xinpeng; Wang, Aiwu; Li, Yang Yang; Surya, Charles; Chai, Yang

2016-06-28

Photovoltachromic cells (PVCCs) are of great interest for the self-powered smart windows of architectures and vehicles, which require widely tunable transmittance and automatic color change under photostimuli. Organolead halide perovskite possesses high light absorption coefficient and enables thin and semitransparent photovoltaic device. In this work, we demonstrate co-anode and co-cathode photovoltachromic supercapacitors (PVCSs) by vertically integrating a perovskite solar cell (PSC) with MoO3/Au/MoO3 transparent electrode and electrochromic supercapacitor. The PVCSs provide a seamless integration of energy harvesting/storage device, automatic and wide color tunability, and enhanced photostability of PSCs. Compared with conventional PVCC, the counter electrodes of our PVCSs provide sufficient balancing charge, eliminate the necessity of reverse bias voltage for bleaching the device, and realize reasonable in situ energy storage. The color states of PVCSs not only indicate the amount of energy stored and energy consumed in real time, but also enhance the photostability of photovoltaic component by preventing its long-time photoexposure under fully charged state of PVCSs. This work designs PVCS devices for multifunctional smart window applications commonly made of glass.

Differential capacity of kaolinite and birnessite to protect surface associated proteins against thermal degradation [Fate of protein at mineral surfaces: influence of protein characteristics mineralogy, pH, and energy input

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

Chacon, Stephany S.; Garcia-Jaramillo, Manuel; Liu, Suet Yi

We report it is widely accepted that soil organic carbon cycling depends on the presence and catalytic functionality of extracellular enzymes. Recent reports suggest that combusted and autoclaved soils may have the capacity to degrade organic test substrates to a larger extent than the living, enzyme-bearing soils. In search of the underlying mechanisms, we adsorbed Beta-Glucosidase (BG) and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) on the phyllosilicate kaolinite and the manganese oxide birnessite at pH 5 and pH 7. The protein-mineral samples were then subjected to gradual energy inputs of a magnitude equivalent to naturally occurring wildfire events. The abundance and molecularmore » masses of desorbed organic compounds were recorded after ionization with tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet radiation (VUV). The mechanisms controlling the fate of proteins varied with mineralogy. Kaolinite adsorbed protein largely through hydrophobic interactions and, even at large energy inputs, produced negligible amounts of desorption fragments compared to birnessite. Acid birnessite adsorbed protein through coulombic forces at low energy levels, became a hydrolyzing catalyst at low energies and low pH, and eventually turned into a reactant involving disintegration of both mineral and protein at higher energy inputs. Fragmentation of proteins was energy dependent and did not occur below an energy threshold of 0.20 MW cm -2 . Neither signal abundance nor signal intensity were a function of protein size. Above the energy threshold value, BG that had been adsorbed to birnessite at pH 7 showed an increase in signal abundance with increasing energy applications. Signal intensities differed with adsorption pH for BSA but only at the highest energy level applied. Our results indicate that proteins adsorbed to kaolinite may remain intact after exposure to such energy inputs as can be expected to occur in natural ecosystems. Protein fragmentation and concomitant loss of functionality must be expected in surface soils replete with pedogenic manganese oxides. Lastly, we conclude that minerals can do both: protect enzymes at high energy intensities in the case of kaolinite and, in the case of birnessite, substitute for and even exceed the oxidative functionality that may have been lost when unprotected oxidative enzymes were denatured at high energy inputs.« less

Quantum strain sensor with a topological insulator HgTe quantum dot

PubMed Central

Korkusinski, Marek; Hawrylak, Pawel

2014-01-01

We present a theory of electronic properties of HgTe quantum dot and propose a strain sensor based on a strain-driven transition from a HgTe quantum dot with inverted bandstructure and robust topologically protected quantum edge states to a normal state without edge states in the energy gap. The presence or absence of edge states leads to large on/off ratio of conductivity across the quantum dot, tunable by adjusting the number of conduction channels in the source-drain voltage window. The electronic properties of a HgTe quantum dot as a function of size and applied strain are described using eight-band Luttinger and Bir-Pikus Hamiltonians, with surface states identified with chirality of Luttinger spinors and obtained through extensive numerical diagonalization of the Hamiltonian. PMID:24811674

Novel optoelectronic devices; Proceedings of the Meeting, The Hague, Netherlands, Mar. 31-Apr. 2, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Michael J. (Editor)

1987-01-01

The present conference on novel optoelectronics discusses topics in the state-of-the-art in this field in the Netherlands, quantum wells, integrated optics, nonlinear optical devices and fiber-optic-based devices, ultrafast optics, and nonlinear optics and optical bistability. Attention is given to the production of fiber-optics for telecommunications by means of PCVD, lifetime broadening in quantum wells, nonlinear multiple quantum well waveguide devices, tunable single-wavelength lasers, an Si integrated waveguiding polarimeter, and an electrooptic light modulator using long-range surface plasmons. Also discussed are backward-wave couplers and reflectors, a wavelength-selective all-fiber switching matrix, the impact of ultrafast optics in high-speed electronics, the physics of low energy optical switching, and all-optical logical elements for optical processing.

Energy scaling of terahertz-wave parametric sources.

PubMed

Tang, Guanqi; Cong, Zhenhua; Qin, Zengguang; Zhang, Xingyu; Wang, Weitao; Wu, Dong; Li, Ning; Fu, Qiang; Lu, Qingming; Zhang, Shaojun

2015-02-23

Terahertz-wave parametric oscillators (TPOs) have advantages of room temperature operation, wide tunable range, narrow line-width, good coherence. They have also disadvantage of small pulse energy. In this paper, several factors preventing TPOs from generating high-energy THz pulses and the corresponding solutions are analyzed. A scheme to generate high-energy THz pulses by using the combination of a TPO and a Stokes-pulse-injected terahertz-wave parametric generator (spi-TPG) is proposed and demonstrated. A TPO is used as a source to generate a seed pulse for the surface-emitted spi-TPG. The time delay between the pump and Stokes pulses is adjusted to guarantee they have good temporal overlap. The pump pulses have a large pulse energy and a large beam size. The Stokes beam is enlarged to make its size be larger than the pump beam size to have a large effective interaction volume. The experimental results show that the generated THz pulse energy from the spi-TPG is 1.8 times as large as that obtained from the TPO for the same pumping pulse energy density of 0.90 J/cm(2) and the same pumping beam size of 3.0 mm. When the pumping beam sizes are 5.0 and 7.0 mm, the enhancement times are 3.7 and 7.5, respectively. The spi-TPG here is similar to a difference frequency generator; it can also be used as a Stokes pulse amplifier.

Green synthesis of biocompatible gold nanocrystals with tunable surface plasmon resonance using garlic phytochemicals.

PubMed

Menon, Deepthy; Basanth, Amritha; Retnakumari, Archana; Manzoor, K; Nair, Shantikumar V

2012-12-01

Synthesis of biocompatible gold nanoparticles having tunable optical absorbance finds immense use in biomedical applications such as cancer diagnosis and photothermal therapy. Hence, it is imperative to develop environment and bio-friendly green chemical processes that aid in preparing gold nanoparticles with tunable optical properties. In the present work, phytochemicals present in the medicinal herb, viz., garlic, were used to provide the dual effects of reduction of gold salts to gold nanoparticles as well as stabilization, in a single step process. The optical tunability of nanogold with respect to concentration of precursor and volume of garlic extract, processing conditions of garlic, its differing molecular weight fractions, reaction time and temperature has been demonstrated. The presence of a range of anisotropic nanogold including nanotriangles, nanorods and nanospheres as evident from TEM endows the colloid with a tunable optical absorption, specifically into the near infrared region. In vitro stability studies of the colloidal suspension in various media including saline, BSA, histidine and PBS showed that gold nanoparticles did not aggregate with time or differing pH conditions. The role of the garlic phytochemicals in providing stability against agglomeration was also substantiated by FTIR studies. Cytotoxicity studies performed using spherical and anisotropic gold nanoparticles on MCF-7 and L929 cell lines proved the biocompatibility of the material up to high doses of 500 microg/ml. The present work highlights the role of garlic phytochemicals in preparing biocompatible metallic gold nanoparticles with tunable optical properties and good in vitro stability, suggesting its potential use for molecular imaging or therapeutic nanomedicines.

A New Smart Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensor Based on pH-Responsive Polyacryloyl Hydrazine Capped Ag Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Shuai; Ge, Fengyan; Zhou, Man; Cai, Zaisheng; Guang, Shanyi

2017-08-01

A novel pH-responsive Ag@polyacryloyl hydrazide (Ag@PAH) nanoparticle for the first time as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was prepared without reducing agent and end-capping reagent. Ag@PAH nanoparticles exhibited an excellent tunable detecting performance in the range from pH = 4 to pH = 9. This is explained that the swelling-shrinking behavior of responsive PAH can control the distance between Ag NPs and the target molecules under external pH stimuli, resulting in the tunable LSPR and further controlled SERS. Furthermore, Ag@PAH nanoparticles possessed an ultra-sensitive detecting ability and the detection limit of Rhodamine 6G reduced to 10-12 M. These advantages qualified Ag@PAH NP as a promising smart SERS substrate in the field of trace analysis and sensors.

Cooperative effect of pH-dependent ion transport within two symmetric-structured nanochannels.

PubMed

Meng, Zheyi; Chen, Yang; Li, Xiulin; Xu, Yanglei; Zhai, Jin

2015-04-15

A novel and simple design is introduced to construct bichannel nanofluid diodes by combining two poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films with columnar nanochannel arrays varying in size or in surface charge. This type of bichannel device performs obvious ion current rectification, and the pH-dependent tunability and degree of rectification can be improved by histidine modification. The origin of the ion current rectification and its pH-dependent tunability are attributed to the cooperative effect of the two columnar half-channels and the applied bias on the mobile ions. As a result of surface groups on the bichannel being charged with different polarities or degrees at different pH values, the function of the bichannel device can be converted from a nanofluid diode to a normal nanochannel or to a reverse diode.

Broadband and efficient plasmonic control in the near-infrared and visible via strong interference of surface plasmon polaritons.

PubMed

Gan, C H; Nash, G R

2013-11-01

Broadband and tunable control of surface plasmon polaritons in the near-infrared and visible spectrum is demonstrated theoretically and numerically with a pair of phased nanoslits. We establish, with simulations supported by a coupled wave model, that by dividing the incident power equally between two input channels, the maximum plasmon intensity deliverable to either side of the nanoslit pair is twice that for an isolated slit. For a broadband source, a compact device with nanoslit separation of the order of a tenth of the wavelength is shown to steer nearly all the generated plasmons to one side for the same phase delay, thereby achieving a broadband unidirectional plasmon launcher. The reported effect can be applied to the design of ultra-broadband and efficient tunable plasmonic devices.

Chemoresponsive Colloidosomes via Ag⁺ Soldering of Surface-Assembled Nanoparticle Monolayers.

PubMed

Liu, Miao; Tian, Qian; Li, Yulin; You, Bo; Xu, An; Deng, Zhaoxiang

2015-04-28

Colloidosomes with a hollow interior and a porous plasmonic shell are highly desired for many applications including nanoreactors, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), photothermal therapy, and controlled drug release. We herein report a silica nanosphere-templated electrostatic self-assembly in conjunction with a newly developed Ag(+) soldering to fabricate gold colloidosomes toward multifunctionality and stimuli-responsibility. The gold colloidosomes are capable of capturing a nanosized object and releasing it via structural dissociation upon responding to a biochemical input (GSH, glutathione) at a concentration close to its cellular level. In addition, the colloidosomes have a tunable nanoporous shell composed of strongly coupled gold nanoparticles, which exhibit broadened near-infrared plasmon resonance. These features along with the simplicity and high tunability of the fabrication process make the gold colloidosomes quite promising for applications in a chemical or cellular environment.

Highly Tunable Complementary Micro/Submicro-Nanopatterned Surfaces Combining Block Copolymer Self-Assembly and Colloidal Lithography.

PubMed

Chang, Tongxin; Du, Binyang; Huang, Haiying; He, Tianbai

2016-08-31

Two kinds of large-area ordered and highly tunable micro/submicro-nanopatterned surfaces in a complementary manner were successfully fabricated by elaborately combining block copolymer self-assembly and colloidal lithography. Employing a monolayer of polystyrene (PS) colloidal spheres assembled on top as etching mask, polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) or polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) micelle films were patterned into micro/submicro patches by plasma etching, which could be further transferred into micropatterned metal nanoarrays by subsequent metal precursor loading and a second plasma etching. On the other hand, micro/submicro-nanopatterns in a complementary manner were generated via preloading a metal precursor in initial micelle films before the assembly of PS colloidal spheres on top. Both kinds of micro/submicro-nanopatterns showed good fidelity at the micro/submicroscale and nanoscale; meanwhile, they could be flexibly tuned by the sample and processing parameters. Significantly, when the PS colloidal sphere size was reduced to 250 nm, a high-resolution submicro-nanostructured surface with 3-5 metal nanoparticles in each patch or a single-nanoparticle interconnected honeycomb network was achieved. Moreover, by applying gold (Au) nanoparticles as anchoring points, micronanopatterned Au arrays can serve as a flexible template to pattern bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules. This facile and cost-effective approach may provide a novel platform for fabrication of micropatterned nanoarrays with high tunability and controllability, which are promising in the applications of biological and microelectronic fields.

Superhydrophobic, carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotubes on Si and 316L stainless steel with tunable geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Kimberly A.; Esplin, Christian D.; Davis, Taylor M.; Butterfield, D. Jacob; Ng, Philip S.; Bowden, Anton E.; Jensen, Brian D.; Iverson, Brian D.

2018-05-01

The use of carbon nanotubes to create superhydrophobic coatings has been considered due to their ability to offer a relatively uniform nanostructure. However, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) may be considered delicate with a typical diameter of tens of nanometers for a multi-walled CNT; as-grown carbon nanotubes often require the addition of a thin-film hydrophobic coating to render them superhydrophobic. Furthermore, fine control over the diameter of the as-grown CNTs or the overall nanostructure is difficult. This work demonstrates the utility of using carbon infiltration to layer amorphous carbon on multi-walled nanotubes to improve structural integrity and achieve superhydrophobic behavior with tunable geometry. These carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube (CICNT) surfaces exhibit an increased number of contact points between neighboring tubes, resulting in a composite structure with improved mechanical stability. Additionally, the native surface can be rendered superhydrophobic with a vacuum pyrolysis treatment, with contact angles as high as 160° and contact angle hysteresis on the order of 1°. The CICNT diameter, static contact angle, sliding angle, and contact angle hysteresis were examined for varying levels of carbon-infiltration to determine the effect of infiltration on superhydrophobicity. The same superhydrophobic behavior and tunable geometry were also observed with CICNTs grown directly on stainless steel without an additional catalyst layer. The ability to tune the geometry while maintaining superhydrophobic behavior offers significant potential in condensation heat transfer, anti-icing, microfluidics, anti-microbial surfaces, and other bio-applications where control over the nanostructure is beneficial.

PLZT Electrooptic Ceramic Photonic Devices for Surface-Normal Operation in Trenches Cut Across Arrays of Optical Fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirabayashi, Katsuhiko

2005-03-01

Simple Pb_1-x La_x(Zr_y Ti_z)_1-x/4 O3 (PLZT) electrooptic ceramic photonic device arrays for surface-normal operation have been developed for application to polarization-controller arrays and Fabry-Pérot tunable filter arrays. These arrays are inserted in trenches cut across fiber arrays. Each element of the arrayed structure corresponds to one optical beam and takes the form of a cell. Each sidewall of the cell (width: 50-80 μm) is coated to form an electrode. The arrays have 16 elements at a pitch of 250 μm. The phase modulator has about 1 dB of loss and a half-wavelength voltage of 120 V. A cascade of two PLZT phase modulators (thickness: 300 μm), with each attached to a polyimide lambda/2 plate (thickness:15 μm), is capable of converting an arbitrary polarization to the transverse-electric (TE) or transverse-magnetic (TM) polarization. The response time is 1 μs. The Fabry-Pérot tunable filters have a thickness of 50 μm . The front and back surfaces of each cell are coated by 99%-reflective mirror. The free spectral range (FSR) of the filters is about 10 nm, tunable range is about 10 nm, loss is 2.2 dB, and finesse is 150. The tuning speed of these devices is high, taking only 1 μs.

Fiber laser driven dual photonic crystal fiber femtosecond mid-infrared source tunable in the range of 4.2 to 9 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Yuhong; Knox, Wayne H.

2014-02-01

We report a fiber based approach to broadly tunable femtosecond mid-IR source based on difference frequency mixing of the outputs from dual photonic crystal fibers (PCF) pumped by a femtosecond fiber laser, which is a custom-built Yb-doped fiber chirped pulse amplifier (CPA) delivering 1.35 W, 300 fs, 40 MHz pulses centered at 1035 nm. The CPA output is split into two arms to pump two different types of PCFs for generation of the spectrally separated pulses. The shorter wavelength pulses are generated in one PCF with its single zero dispersion wavelength (ZDW) at 1040 nm. Low normal dispersion around the pumping wavelength enables spectral broadening dominated by self-phase modulation (SPM), which extends from 970 to 1092 nm with up to 340 mW of average power. The longer wavelength pulses are generated in a second PCF which has two closely spaced ZDWs around the laser wavelength. Facilitated by its special dispersion profile, the laser wavelength is converted to the normal dispersion region of the fiber, leading to the generation of the narrow-band intense Stokes pulses with 1 to 1.25 nJ of pulse energy at a conversion efficiency of ~30% from the laser pulses. By difference mixing the outputs from both PCFs in a type-II AgGaS2 crystal, mid-IR pulses tunable from 4.2 to 9 μm are readily generated with its average power ranging from 135 - 640 μW, corresponding to 3 - 16 pJ of pulse energy which is comparable to the reported fiber based mid-IR sources enabled by the solitons self-frequency shift (for example, 3 - 10 μm with 10 pJ of maximum pulse energy in [10]). The reported approach provides a power-scalable route to the generation of broadly tunable femtosecond mid-IR pulses, which we believe to be a promising solution for developing compact, economic and high performance mid-IR sources.

Generation of high-power, tunable terahertz radiation from laser interaction with a relativistic electron beam

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Zhen; Yan, Lixin; Du, Yingchao; ...

2017-05-01

We propose a method based on the slice energy spread modulation to generate strong subpicosecond density bunching in high-intensity relativistic electron beams. A laser pulse with periodic intensity envelope is used to modulate the slice energy spread of the electron beam, which can then be converted into density modulation after a dispersive section. It is found that the double-horn slice energy distribution of the electron beam induced by the laser modulation is very effective to increase the density bunching. Since the modulation is performed on a relativistic electron beam, the process does not suffer from strong space charge force ormore » coupling between phase spaces, so that it is straightforward to preserve the beam quality for terahertz (THz) radiation and other applications. We show in both theory and simulations that the tunable radiation from the beam can cover the frequency range of 1 - 10 THz with high power and narrow-band spectra.« less

Tunable organic distributed feedback dye laser device excited through Förster mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsutsumi, Naoto; Hinode, Taiki

2017-03-01

Tunable organic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser performances are re-investigated and characterized. The slab-type waveguide DFB device consists of air/active layer/glass substrate. Active layer consisted of tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum (Alq3), 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) dye, and polystyrene (PS) matrix. Effective energy transfer from Alq3 to DCM through Förster mechanism enhances the laser emission. Slope efficiency in the range of 4.9 and 10% is observed at pump energy region higher than 0.10-0.15 mJ cm-2 (lower threshold), which is due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and lasing. Typical slope efficiency for lasing in the range of 2.0 and 3.0% is observed at pump energy region higher than 0.25-0.30 mJ cm-2 (higher threshold). The tuning wavelength for the laser emission is ranged from 620 to 645 nm depending on the ASE region.

Supratransmission in a metastable modular metastructure for tunable non-reciprocal wave transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhen; Wang, K. W.

2018-03-01

In this research, we numerically and analytically investigate the nonlinear energy transmission phenomenon in a metastable modular metastructure. Numerical studies on a 1D metastable chain provide clear evidence that when driving frequency is within the stopband of the periodic structure, there exists a threshold for the driving amplitude, above which sudden increase in the energy transmission can be observed. This onset of transmission is due to nonlinear instability and is known as supratransmission. We discover that due to spatial asymmetry of strategically configured constituents, such transmission thresholds are considerably different when structure is excited from different ends and this discrepancy creates a region of non-reciprocal energy transmission. We demonstrate that when the loss of stability is due to saddlenode bifurcation, the transmission threshold can be predicted analytically using a localized nonlinear-linear system model, and analyzed via combining harmonic balancing and transfer matrix methods. These investigations elucidate the rich and complex dynamics achievable by nonlinearity and metastabilities, and provide synthesize tools for tunable bandgaps and non-reciprocal wave transmissions.

Graphene based tunable fractal Hilbert curve array broadband radar absorbing screen for radar cross section reduction

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

Huang, Xianjun, E-mail: xianjun.huang@manchester.ac.uk; College of Electronic Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073; Hu, Zhirun

2014-11-15

This paper proposes a new type of graphene based tunable radar absorbing screen. The absorbing screen consists of Hilbert curve metal strip array and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) graphene sheet. The graphene based screen is not only tunable when the chemical potential of the graphene changes, but also has broadband effective absorption. The absorption bandwidth is from 8.9GHz to 18.1GHz, ie., relative bandwidth of more than 68%, at chemical potential of 0eV, which is significantly wider than that if the graphene sheet had not been employed. As the chemical potential varies from 0 to 0.4eV, the central frequency of themore » screen can be tuned from 13.5GHz to 19.0GHz. In the proposed structure, Hilbert curve metal strip array was designed to provide multiple narrow band resonances, whereas the graphene sheet directly underneath the metal strip array provides tunability and averagely required surface resistance so to significantly extend the screen operation bandwidth by providing broadband impedance matching and absorption. In addition, the thickness of the screen has been optimized to achieve nearly the minimum thickness limitation for a nonmagnetic absorber. The working principle of this absorbing screen is studied in details, and performance under various incident angles is presented. This work extends applications of graphene into tunable microwave radar cross section (RCS) reduction applications.« less

Tunable dielectric properties of Barium Magnesium Niobate (BMN) doped Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) thin films by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alema, Fikadu; Reinholz, Aaron; Pokhodnya, Konstantin

2013-03-01

We report on the tunable dielectric properties of Mg and Nb co-doped Ba0.45Sr0.55TiO3 (BST) thin film prepared by the magnetron sputtering using BST target (pure and doped with BaMg0.33Nb0.67O3 (BMN)) on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Al2O3 4'' wafers at 700 °C under oxygen atmosphere. The electrical measurements are conducted on 2432 metal-ferroelectric-metal capacitors using Pt as the top and bottom electrode. The crystalline structure, microstructure, and surface morphology of the films are analyzed and correlated to the films dielectric properties. The BMN doped and undoped BST films have shown tunabilities of 48% and 52%; and leakage current densities of 2.2x10-6 A/cm2 and 3.7x10-5 A/cm2, respectively at 0.5 MV/cm bias field. The results indicate that the BMN doped film exhibits a lower leakage current with no significant decrease in tunability. Due to similar electronegativity and ionic radii, it was suggested that both Mg2+ (accepter-type) and Nb5+ (donor-type) dopants substitutTi4+ ion in BST. The improvement in the film dielectric losses and leakage current with insignificant loss of tunability is attributed to the adversary effects of Mg2+ and Nb5+ in BST.

Near-field spectroscopic investigation of dual-band heavy fermion metamaterials.

PubMed

Gilbert Corder, Stephanie N; Chen, Xinzhong; Zhang, Shaoqing; Hu, Fengrui; Zhang, Jiawei; Luan, Yilong; Logan, Jack A; Ciavatti, Thomas; Bechtel, Hans A; Martin, Michael C; Aronson, Meigan; Suzuki, Hiroyuki S; Kimura, Shin-Ichi; Iizuka, Takuya; Fei, Zhe; Imura, Keiichiro; Sato, Noriaki K; Tao, Tiger H; Liu, Mengkun

2017-12-22

Broadband tunability is a central theme in contemporary nanophotonics and metamaterials research. Combining metamaterials with phase change media offers a promising approach to achieve such tunability, which requires a comprehensive investigation of the electromagnetic responses of novel materials at subwavelength scales. In this work, we demonstrate an innovative way to tailor band-selective electromagnetic responses at the surface of a heavy fermion compound, samarium sulfide (SmS). By utilizing the intrinsic, pressure sensitive, and multi-band electron responses of SmS, we create a proof-of-principle heavy fermion metamaterial, which is fabricated and characterized using scanning near-field microscopes with <50 nm spatial resolution. The optical responses at the infrared and visible frequency ranges can be selectively and separately tuned via modifying the occupation of the 4f and 5d band electrons. The unique pressure, doping, and temperature tunability demonstrated represents a paradigm shift for nanoscale metamaterial and metasurface design.

Tunable antireflection from conformal Al-doped ZnO films on nanofaceted Si templates

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Photon harvesting by reducing reflection loss is the basis of photovoltaic devices. Here, we show the efficacy of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) overlayer on ion beam-synthesized nanofaceted silicon for suppressing reflection loss. In particular, we demonstrate thickness-dependent tunable antireflection (AR) from conformally grown AZO layer, showing a systematic shift in the reflection minima from ultraviolet to visible to near-infrared ranges with increasing thickness. Tunable AR property is understood in light of depth-dependent refractive index of nanofaceted silicon and AZO overlayer. This improved AR property significantly increases the fill factor of such textured heterostructures, which reaches its maximum for 60-nm AZO compared to the ones based on planar silicon. This thickness matches with the one that shows the maximum reduction in surface reflectance. PACS 81.07.-b; 42.79.Wc; 81.16.Rf; 81.15.Cd PMID:24808799

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

Gilbert Corder, Stephanie N.; Chen, Xinzhong; Zhang, Shaoqing

Broadband tunability is a central theme in contemporary nanophotonics and metamaterials research. Combining metamaterials with phase change media offers a promising approach to achieve such tunability, which requires a comprehensive investigation of the electromagnetic responses of novel materials at subwavelength scales. In this work, we demonstrate an innovative way to tailor band-selective electromagnetic responses at the surface of a heavy fermion compound, samarium sulfide (SmS). By utilizing the intrinsic, pressure sensitive, and multi-band electron responses of SmS, we create a proof-of-principle heavy fermion metamaterial, which is fabricated and characterized using scanning near-field microscopes with < 50 nm spatial resolution. Themore » optical responses at the infrared and visible frequency ranges can be selectively and separately tuned via modifying the occupation of the 4f and 5d band electrons. The unique pressure, doping, and temperature tunability demonstrated represents a paradigm shift for nanoscale metamaterial and metasurface design.« less

Near-field spectroscopic investigation of dual-band heavy fermion metamaterials

DOE PAGES

Gilbert Corder, Stephanie N.; Chen, Xinzhong; Zhang, Shaoqing; ...

2017-12-22

Broadband tunability is a central theme in contemporary nanophotonics and metamaterials research. Combining metamaterials with phase change media offers a promising approach to achieve such tunability, which requires a comprehensive investigation of the electromagnetic responses of novel materials at subwavelength scales. In this work, we demonstrate an innovative way to tailor band-selective electromagnetic responses at the surface of a heavy fermion compound, samarium sulfide (SmS). By utilizing the intrinsic, pressure sensitive, and multi-band electron responses of SmS, we create a proof-of-principle heavy fermion metamaterial, which is fabricated and characterized using scanning near-field microscopes with < 50 nm spatial resolution. Themore » optical responses at the infrared and visible frequency ranges can be selectively and separately tuned via modifying the occupation of the 4f and 5d band electrons. The unique pressure, doping, and temperature tunability demonstrated represents a paradigm shift for nanoscale metamaterial and metasurface design.« less

Optical tuning of electronic valleys (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sie, Edbert J.; Gedik, Nuh

2017-02-01

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides such as MoS2 and WS2 are prime examples of atomically thin semiconducting crystals that exhibit remarkable electronic and optical properties. They have a pair of valleys that can serve as a new electronic degree of freedom, and these valleys obey optical selection rules with circularly polarized light. Here, we discuss how ultrafast laser pulses can be used to tune their energy levels in a controllable valley-selective manner. The energy tunability is extremely large, comparable to what would be obtained using a hundred Tesla of magnetic field. We will also show that such valley tunability can be performed while we effectively manipulate the valley selection rules. Finally, we will explore the prospect of using this technique through photoemission spectroscopy to create a new phase of matter called a valley Floquet topological insulator.

Generation of tunable infrared radiation by stimulated Raman scattering on hydrogen in a prism-lens optical delay line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, R. B.; Butylkin, V. S.; Evtiushkin, V. A.; Fisher, P. S.; Khabarov, V. V.

1983-03-01

The threshold of stimulated Raman scattering was lowered by filling an optical delay line with hydrogen. Pumping was by a tunable neodymium laser. Lens-prism combinations were used as phase correctors in the delay line. The dependences of the energy of the Stokes component on the pump energy determined experimentally for different numbers of transits through the delay line were compared with the results of a calculation allowing for the losses in the components of this line. When the frequency conversion was by a factor of at least 2 and the tuning range was wide (tens of percent), the optimal performance was obtained from the optical delay line when total-internal-reflection prisms and lenses were combined in a single component and oriented at the Brewster angle.

BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS: Generation of tunable infrared radiation by stimulated Raman scattering on hydrogen in a prism-lens optical delay line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, R. B.; Butylkin, V. S.; Evtyushkin, V. A.; Fisher, P. S.; Khabarov, V. V.

1983-03-01

The threshold of stimulated Raman scattering was lowered by filling an optical delay line with hydrogen. Pumping was by a tunable neodymium laser. Lens-prism combinations were used as phase correctors in the delay line. The dependences of the energy of the Stokes component on the pump energy determined experimentally for different numbers of transits through the delay line were compared with the results of a calculation allowing for the losses in the components of this line. When the frequency conversion was by a factor of at least 2 and the tuning range was wide (tens of percent), the optimal performance was obtained from the optical delay line when total-internal-reflection prisms and lenses were combined in a single component and oriented at the Brewster angle.

Structural tunability and switchable exciton emission in inorganic-organic hybrids with mixed halides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Shahab; Baumberg, Jeremy J.; Vijaya Prakash, G.

2013-12-01

Room-temperature tunable excitonic photoluminescence is demonstrated in alloy-tuned layered Inorganic-Organic (IO) hybrids, (C12H25NH3)2PbI4(1-y)Br4y (y = 0 to 1). These perovskite IO hybrids adopt structures with alternating stacks of low-dimensional inorganic and organic layers, considered to be naturally self-assembled multiple quantum wells. These systems resemble stacked monolayer 2D semiconductors since no interlayer coupling exists. Thin films of IO hybrids exhibit sharp and strong photoluminescence (PL) at room-temperature due to stable excitons formed within the low-dimensional inorganic layers. Systematic variation in the observed exciton PL from 510 nm to 350 nm as the alloy composition is changed, is attributed to the structural readjustment of crystal packing upon increase of the Br content in the Pb-I inorganic network. The energy separation between exciton absorption and PL is attributed to the modified exciton density of states and diffusion of excitons from relatively higher energy states corresponding to bromine rich sites towards the lower energy iodine sites. Apart from compositional fluctuations, these excitons show remarkable reversible flips at temperature-induced phase transitions. All the results are successfully correlated with thermal and structural studies. Such structural engineering flexibility in these hybrids allows selective tuning of desirable exciton properties within suitable operating temperature ranges. Such wide-range PL tunability and reversible exciton switching in these novel IO hybrids paves the way to potential applications in new generation of optoelectronic devices.

Unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle graphene superlattices.

PubMed

Cao, Yuan; Fatemi, Valla; Fang, Shiang; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Kaxiras, Efthimios; Jarillo-Herrero, Pablo

2018-04-05

The behaviour of strongly correlated materials, and in particular unconventional superconductors, has been studied extensively for decades, but is still not well understood. This lack of theoretical understanding has motivated the development of experimental techniques for studying such behaviour, such as using ultracold atom lattices to simulate quantum materials. Here we report the realization of intrinsic unconventional superconductivity-which cannot be explained by weak electron-phonon interactions-in a two-dimensional superlattice created by stacking two sheets of graphene that are twisted relative to each other by a small angle. For twist angles of about 1.1°-the first 'magic' angle-the electronic band structure of this 'twisted bilayer graphene' exhibits flat bands near zero Fermi energy, resulting in correlated insulating states at half-filling. Upon electrostatic doping of the material away from these correlated insulating states, we observe tunable zero-resistance states with a critical temperature of up to 1.7 kelvin. The temperature-carrier-density phase diagram of twisted bilayer graphene is similar to that of copper oxides (or cuprates), and includes dome-shaped regions that correspond to superconductivity. Moreover, quantum oscillations in the longitudinal resistance of the material indicate the presence of small Fermi surfaces near the correlated insulating states, in analogy with underdoped cuprates. The relatively high superconducting critical temperature of twisted bilayer graphene, given such a small Fermi surface (which corresponds to a carrier density of about 10 11 per square centimetre), puts it among the superconductors with the strongest pairing strength between electrons. Twisted bilayer graphene is a precisely tunable, purely carbon-based, two-dimensional superconductor. It is therefore an ideal material for investigations of strongly correlated phenomena, which could lead to insights into the physics of high-critical-temperature superconductors and quantum spin liquids.

Unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle graphene superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yuan; Fatemi, Valla; Fang, Shiang; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Kaxiras, Efthimios; Jarillo-Herrero, Pablo

2018-04-01

The behaviour of strongly correlated materials, and in particular unconventional superconductors, has been studied extensively for decades, but is still not well understood. This lack of theoretical understanding has motivated the development of experimental techniques for studying such behaviour, such as using ultracold atom lattices to simulate quantum materials. Here we report the realization of intrinsic unconventional superconductivity—which cannot be explained by weak electron–phonon interactions—in a two-dimensional superlattice created by stacking two sheets of graphene that are twisted relative to each other by a small angle. For twist angles of about 1.1°—the first ‘magic’ angle—the electronic band structure of this ‘twisted bilayer graphene’ exhibits flat bands near zero Fermi energy, resulting in correlated insulating states at half-filling. Upon electrostatic doping of the material away from these correlated insulating states, we observe tunable zero-resistance states with a critical temperature of up to 1.7 kelvin. The temperature–carrier-density phase diagram of twisted bilayer graphene is similar to that of copper oxides (or cuprates), and includes dome-shaped regions that correspond to superconductivity. Moreover, quantum oscillations in the longitudinal resistance of the material indicate the presence of small Fermi surfaces near the correlated insulating states, in analogy with underdoped cuprates. The relatively high superconducting critical temperature of twisted bilayer graphene, given such a small Fermi surface (which corresponds to a carrier density of about 1011 per square centimetre), puts it among the superconductors with the strongest pairing strength between electrons. Twisted bilayer graphene is a precisely tunable, purely carbon-based, two-dimensional superconductor. It is therefore an ideal material for investigations of strongly correlated phenomena, which could lead to insights into the physics of high-critical-temperature superconductors and quantum spin liquids.

Tunable infrared absorption and visible transparency of colloidal aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals.

PubMed

Buonsanti, Raffaella; Llordes, Anna; Aloni, Shaul; Helms, Brett A; Milliron, Delia J

2011-11-09

Plasmonic nanocrystals have been attracting a lot of attention both for fundamental studies and different applications, from sensing to imaging and optoelectronic devices. Transparent conductive oxides represent an interesting class of plasmonic materials in addition to metals and vacancy-doped semiconductor quantum dots. Herein, we report a rational synthetic strategy of high-quality colloidal aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals. The presence of substitutional aluminum in the zinc oxide lattice accompanied by the generation of free electrons is proved for the first time by tunable surface plasmon absorption in the infrared region both in solution and in thin films.

Experimental demonstration of a ferroelectric liquid crystal tunable filter for fast demodulation of FBG sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathews, Sunish; Semenova, Yuliya; Rajan, Ginu; Farrell, Gerald

2009-05-01

A discretely tunable Surface-Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal based Lyot Filter, with tuning speeds in the order of microseconds, is demonstrated experimentally as a channel dropper for the demodulation of multiple Fibre Bragg Grating sensors. The 3-stage Lyot Filter designed and experimentally verified can be used together with the high-speed ratiometric wavelength measurement system employing a fibre bend loss edge filter. Such systems can be used for the demodulation of distributed Fibre Bragg Grating sensors employed in applications such as structural monitoring, industrial sensing and haptic telerobotic surgical systems.

Highly Tunable Aptasensing Microarrays with Graphene Oxide Multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Yun Kyung; Lee, Taemin; Shin, Eeseul; Kim, Byeong-Su

2013-11-01

A highly tunable layer-by-layer (LbL)-assembled graphene oxide (GO) array has been devised for high-throughput multiplex protein sensing. In this array, the fluorescence of different target-bound aptamers labeled with dye is efficiently quenched by GO through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and simultaneous multiplex target detection is performed by recovering the quenched fluorescence caused by specific binding between an aptamer and a protein. Thin GO films consisting of 10 bilayers displayed a high quenching ability, yielding over 85% fluorescence quenching with the addition of a 2 μM dye-labeled aptamer. The limit for human thrombin detection in the 6- and 10-bilayered GO array is estimated to be 0.1 and 0.001 nM, respectively, indicating highly tunable nature of LbL assembled GO multilayers in controlling the sensitivity of graphene-based FRET aptasensor. Furthermore, the GO chip could be reused up to four times simply by cleaning it with distilled water.

Tunable terahertz waves from 4-dimethylamino-N‧-methyl-4‧-stibazolium tosylate pumped with dual-wavelength injection-seeded optical parametric generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokizane, Yu; Nawata, Kouji; Han, Zhengli; Koyama, Mio; Notake, Takashi; Takida, Yuma; Minamide, Hiroaki

2017-02-01

We developed a widely tunable terahertz (THz)-wave source covering the sub-THz frequency by difference frequency generation using a 4-dimethylamino-N‧-methyl-4‧-stibazolium tosylate (DAST) crystal. Near-infrared waves generated by dual-wavelength injection-seeded β-BaB2O4 optical parametric generation (is-BBO-OPG) were used for pumping the DAST crystal, which had separated wavelengths in the spectrum with a difference frequency of sub-THz. Furthermore, the non-collinear phase-matching condition was designed to compensate the walk-off effect of the BBO crystal. Consequently, tunable THz-waves from 0.3 to 4 THz were generated by tuning the wavelength of one of the seeding beams. The generated sub-THz-waves were monochromatic (dν < 33 GHz) with a maximum energy of 80 pJ at 0.65 THz.

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.

Design of a Tunable Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Absorber Based on Multiple Layers of Graphene Ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zenghui; Wu, Dong; Liu, Yumin; Liu, Chang; Yu, Zhongyuan; Yu, Li; Ye, Han

2018-05-01

We propose and numerically demonstrate an ultra-broadband graphene-based metamaterial absorber, which consists of multi-layer graphene/dielectric on the SiO2 layer supported by a metal substrate. The simulated result shows that the proposed absorber can achieve a near-perfect absorption above 90% with a bandwidth of 4.8 Thz. Owing to the flexible tunability of graphene sheet, the state of the absorber can be switched from on (absorption > 90%) to off (reflection > 90%) in the frequencies range of 3-7.8 Thz by controlling the Fermi energy of graphene. Moreover, the absorber is insensitive to the incident angles. The broadband absorption can be maintained over 90% up to 50°. Importantly, the design is scalable to develop broader tunable terahertz absorbers by adding more graphene layers which may have wide applications in imaging, sensors, photodetectors, and modulators.

Design of a gap tunable flux qubit with FastHenry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhtar, Naheed; Zheng, Yarui; Nazir, Mudassar; Wu, Yulin; Deng, Hui; Zheng, Dongning; Zhu, Xiaobo

2016-12-01

In the preparations of superconducting qubits, circuit design is a vital process because the parameters and layout of the circuit not only determine the way we address the qubits, but also strongly affect the qubit coherence properties. One of the most important circuit parameters, which needs to be carefully designed, is the mutual inductance among different parts of a superconducting circuit. In this paper we demonstrate how to design a gap-tunable flux qubit by layout design and inductance extraction using a fast field solver FastHenry. The energy spectrum of the gap-tunable flux qubit shows that the measured parameters are close to the design values. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11374344, 11404386, and 91321208), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2014CB921401), and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB07010300).

Ultrasensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection Based on Amorphous Molybdenum Oxide Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Li, Hao; Xu, Qun; Wang, Xuzhe; Liu, Wei

2018-06-07

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based on plasmonic semiconductive material has been proved to be an efficient tool to detect trace of substances, while the relatively weak plasmon resonance compared with noble metal materials restricts its practical application. Herein, for the first time a facile method to fabricate amorphous H x MoO 3 quantum dots with tunable plasmon resonance is developed by a controlled oxidization route. The as-prepared amorphous H x MoO 3 quantum dots show tunable plasmon resonance in the region of visible and near-infrared light. Moreover, the tunability induced by SC CO 2 is analyzed by a molecule kinetic theory combined with a molecular thermodynamic model. More importantly, the ultrahigh enhancement factor of amorphous H x MoO 3 quantum dots detecting on methyl blue can be up to 9.5 × 10 5 with expending the limit of detection to 10 -9 m. Such a remarkable porperty can also be found in this H x MoO 3 -based sensor with Rh6G and RhB as probe molecules, suggesting that the amorphous H x MoO 3 quantum dot is an efficient candidate for SERS on molecule detection in high precision. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Understanding improved osteoblast behavior on select nanoporous anodic alumina

PubMed Central

Ni, Siyu; Li, Changyan; Ni, Shirong; Chen, Ting; Webster, Thomas J

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to prepare different sized porous anodic alumina (PAA) and examine preosteoblast (MC3T3-E1) attachment and proliferation on such nanoporous surfaces. In this study, PAA with tunable pore sizes (25 nm, 50 nm, and 75 nm) were fabricated by a two-step anodizing procedure in oxalic acid. The surface morphology and elemental composition of PAA were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The nanopore arrays on all of the PAA samples were highly regular. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis suggested that the chemistry of PAA and flat aluminum surfaces were similar. However, contact angles were significantly greater on all of the PAA compared to flat aluminum substrates, which consequently altered protein adsorption profiles. The attachment and proliferation of preosteoblasts were determined for up to 7 days in culture using field emission scanning electron microscopy and a Cell Counting Kit-8. Results showed that nanoporous surfaces did not enhance initial preosteoblast attachment, whereas preosteoblast proliferation dramatically increased when the PAA pore size was either 50 nm or 75 nm compared to all other samples (P<0.05). Thus, this study showed that one can alter surface energy of aluminum by modifying surface nano-roughness alone (and not changing chemistry) through an anodization process to improve osteoblast density, and, thus, should be further studied as a bioactive interface for orthopedic applications. PMID:25045263

Tunable multiwalled nanotube resonator

DOEpatents

Jensen, Kenneth J; Girit, Caglar O; Mickelson, William E; Zettl, Alexander K; Grossman, Jeffrey C

2013-11-05

A tunable nanoscale resonator has potential applications in precise mass, force, position, and frequency measurement. One embodiment of this device consists of a specially prepared multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) suspended between a metal electrode and a mobile, piezoelectrically controlled contact. By harnessing a unique telescoping ability of MWNTs, one may controllably slide an inner nanotube core from its outer nanotube casing, effectively changing its length and thereby changing the tuning of its resonance frequency. Resonant energy transfer may be used with a nanoresonator to detect molecules at a specific target oscillation frequency, without the use of a chemical label, to provide label-free chemical species detection.

Tunable multiwalled nanotube resonator

DOEpatents

Zettl, Alex K [Kensington, CA; Jensen, Kenneth J [Berkeley, CA; Girit, Caglar [Albany, CA; Mickelson, William E [San Francisco, CA; Grossman, Jeffrey C [Berkeley, CA

2011-03-29

A tunable nanoscale resonator has potential applications in precise mass, force, position, and frequency measurement. One embodiment of this device consists of a specially prepared multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) suspended between a metal electrode and a mobile, piezoelectrically controlled contact. By harnessing a unique telescoping ability of MWNTs, one may controllably slide an inner nanotube core from its outer nanotube casing, effectively changing its length and thereby changing the tuning of its resonance frequency. Resonant energy transfer may be used with a nanoresonator to detect molecules at a specific target oscillation frequency, without the use of a chemical label, to provide label-free chemical species detection.

Doping-Driven Wettability of Two-Dimensional Materials: A Multiscale Theory.

PubMed

Tian, Tian; Lin, Shangchao; Li, Siyu; Zhao, Lingling; Santos, Elton J G; Shih, Chih-Jen

2017-11-07

Engineering molecular interactions at two-dimensional (2D) materials interfaces enables new technological opportunities in functional surfaces and molecular epitaxy. Understanding the wettability of 2D materials represents the crucial first step toward quantifying the interplay between the interfacial forces and electric potential of 2D materials interfaces. Here we develop the first theoretical framework to model the wettability of the doped 2D materials by properly bridging the multiscale physical phenomena at the 2D interfaces, including (i) the change of 2D materials surface energy (atomistic scale, several angstroms), (ii) the molecular reorientation of liquid molecules adjacent to the interface (molecular scale, 10 0 -10 1 nm), and (iii) the electrical double layer (EDL) formed in the liquid phase (mesoscopic scales, 10 0 -10 4 nm). The latter two effects are found to be the major mechanisms responsible for the contact angle change upon doping, while the surface energy change of a pure 2D material has no net effect on the wetting property. When the doping level is electrostatically tuned, we demonstrate that 2D materials with high quantum capacitances (e.g., transition metal dichalcogenides, TMDCs) possess a wider range of tunability in the interfacial tension, under the same applied gate voltage. Furthermore, practical considerations such as defects and airborne contamination are also quantitatively discussed. Our analysis implies that the doping level can be another variable to modulate the wettability at 2D materials interfaces, as well as the molecular packing behavior on a 2D material-coated surface, essentially facilitating the interfacial engineering of 2D materials.

Hierarchical micron-sized mesoporous/macroporous graphene with well-tuned surface oxygen chemistry for high capacity and cycling stability Li-O2 battery.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei; Zhang, Hongzhang; Nie, Hongjiao; Ma, Yiwen; Zhang, Yining; Zhang, Huamin

2015-02-11

Nonaqueous Li-O2 battery is recognized as one of the most promising energy storage devices for electric vehicles due to its super-high energy density. At present, carbon or catalyst-supporting carbon materials are widely used for cathode materials of Li-O2 battery. However, the unique electrode reaction and complex side reactions lead to numerous hurdles that have to be overcome. The pore blocking caused by the solid products and the byproducts generated from the side reactions severely limit the capacity performance and cycling stability. Thus, there is a great need to develop carbon materials with optimized pore structure and tunable surface chemistry to meet the special requirement of Li-O2 battery. Here, we propose a strategy of vacuum-promoted thermal expansion to fabricate one micron-sized graphene matrix with a hierarchical meso-/macroporous structure, combining with a following deoxygenation treatment to adjust the surface chemistry by reducing the amount of oxygen and selectively removing partial unstable groups. The as-made graphene demonstrates dramatically tailored pore characteristics and a well-tuned surface chemical environment. When applied in Li-O2 battery as cathode, it exhibits an outstanding capacity up to 19 800 mA h g(-1) and is capable of enduring over 50 cycles with a curtaining capacity of 1000 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 1000 mA g(-1). This will provide a novel pathway for the design of cathodes for Li-O2 battery.

Blue-green tunable color of Ce3+/Tb3+ coactivated NaBa3La3Si6O20 phosphor via energy transfer

PubMed Central

Jia, Zhen; Xia, Mingjun

2016-01-01

A series of color tunable phosphors NaBa3La3Si6O20:Ce3+, Tb3+ were synthesized via the high-temperature solid-state method. NaBa3La3Si6O20 crystallizes in noncentrosymmetric space group Ama2 with the cell parameters of a = 14.9226(4) Å, b = 24.5215(5) Å and c = 5.6241(2) Å by the Rietveld refinement method. The Ce3+ ions doped NaBa3La3Si6O20 phosphors have a strong absorption band from 260 to 360 nm and show near ultraviolet emission light centered at 378 nm. The Ce3+ and Tb3+ ions coactivated phosphors exhibit color tunable emission light from deep blue to green by adjusting the concentration of the Tb3+ ions. An energy transfer of Ce3+ → Tb3+ investigated by the photoluminescence properties and lifetime decay, is demonstrated to be dipole–quadrupole interaction. These results indicate the NaBa3La3Si6O20:Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphors can be considered as potential candidates for blue-green components for white light emitting diodes. PMID:27628111

Flow-Tube Investigations of Hypergolic Reactions of a Dicyanamide Ionic Liquid Via Tunable Vacuum Ultraviolet Aerosol Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Chambreau, Steven D; Koh, Christine J; Popolan-Vaida, Denisia M; Gallegos, Christopher J; Hooper, Justin B; Bedrov, Dmitry; Vaghjiani, Ghanshyam L; Leone, Stephen R

2016-10-07

The unusually high heats of vaporization of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) complicate the utilization of thermal evaporation to study ionic liquid reactivity. Although effusion of RTILs into a reaction flow-tube or mass spectrometer is possible, competition between vaporization and thermal decomposition of the RTIL can greatly increase the complexity of the observed reaction products. In order to investigate the reaction kinetics of a hypergolic RTIL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (BMIM + DCA - ) was aerosolized and reacted with gaseous nitric acid, and the products were monitored via tunable vacuum ultraviolet photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline 9.0.2 at the Advanced Light Source. Reaction product formation at m/z 42, 43, 44, 67, 85, 126, and higher masses was observed as a function of HNO 3 exposure. The identities of the product species were assigned to the masses on the basis of their ionization energies. The observed exposure profile of the m/z 67 signal suggests that the excess gaseous HNO 3 initiates rapid reactions near the surface of the RTIL aerosol. Nonreactive molecular dynamics simulations support this observation, suggesting that diffusion within the particle may be a limiting step. The mechanism is consistent with previous reports that nitric acid forms protonated dicyanamide species in the first step of the reaction.

Biocompatible Surface Chemistry Manipulation of Gold Nanorods Preserves Optical Properties for Bio-Imaging Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-18

3. DATES COVERED (From - To) March 2014 – Sept 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Biocompatible surface chemistry manipulation of gold nanorods preserves...Due to their anisotropic shape, gold nanorods (GNRs) possess a number of advantages for biosystem use including, enhanced surface area and tunable...intracellular aggregation of MTAB-TA GNRs, and identify them as prime andidates for use in nanobased bio-imaging applications. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Gold

Investigation for surface resistance of yttrium-barium-copper-oxide thin films on various substrates for microwave applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Hongjun

High temperature superconducting (HTS) materials such as YBCO (Yttrium-Barium-Copper-Oxide) are very attractive in microwave applications because of their extremely low surface resistance. In the proposed all-HTS tunable filter, a layer of HTS thin film on a very thin substrate (100 mum) is needed to act as the toractor that can be rotated to tune the frequency. In order to provide more substrate candidates that meet both electrical and mechanical requirements for this special application, surface resistance of YBCO thin films on various substrates was measured using microstrip ring resonator method. For alumina polycrystalline substrate, a layer of YSZ (Yttrium stabilized Zirconia) was deposited using IBAD (ion beam assisted deposition) method prior to YBCO deposition. The surface resistance of the YBCO thin film on alumina was found to be 22 mO due to high-angle grain boundary problem caused by the mixed in-plane orientations and large FWHM (full width at half maximum) of the thin film. For YBCO thin films on a YSZ single crystal substrate, the surface resistance showed even higher value of 30 mO because of the mixed in-plane orientation problem. However, by annealing the substrate in 200 Torr oxygen at 730°C prior to deposition, the in-plane orientation of YBCO thin films can be greatly improved. Therefore, the surface resistance decreased to 1.4 mO, which is still more than an order higher than the reported best value. The YBCO thin films grown on LaAlO3 single crystal substrate showed perfect in-plane orientation with FWHM less 1°. The surface resistance was as low as 0.032 mO. A tunable spiral resonator made of YBCO thin film on LaAlO3 single crystal substrate demonstrated that the resonant frequency can be tuned in a rang as large as 500 MHz by changing the gap between toractor and substrate. The Q-factor was more than 12,000, which ensured the extraordinarily high sensitivity for the proposed all-HTS tunable filter.

Nickel-based anodic electrocatalysts for fuel cells and water splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dayi

Our world is facing an energy crisis, so people are trying to harvest and utilize energy more efficiently. One of the promising ways to harvest energy is via solar water splitting to convert solar energy to chemical energy stored in hydrogen. Another of the options to utilize energy more efficiently is to use fuel cells as power sources instead of combustion engines. Catalysts are needed to reduce the energy barriers of the reactions happening at the electrode surfaces of the water-splitting cells and fuel cells. Nickel-based catalysts happen to be important nonprecious electrocatalysts for both of the anodic reactions in alkaline media. In alcohol fuel cells, nickel-based catalysts catalyze alcohol oxidation. In water splitting cells, they catalyze water oxidation, i.e., oxygen evolution. The two reactions occur in a similar potential range when catalyzed by nickel-based catalysts. Higher output current density, lower oxidation potential, and complete substrate oxidation are preferred for the anode in the applications. In this dissertation, the catalytic properties of nickel-based electrocatalysts in alkaline medium for fuel oxidation and oxygen evolution are explored. By changing the nickel precursor solubility, nickel complex nanoparticles with tunable sizes on electrode surfaces were synthesized. Higher methanol oxidation current density is achieved with smaller nickel complex nanoparticles. DNA aggregates were used as a polymer scaffold to load nickel ion centers and thus can oxidize methanol completely at a potential about 0.1 V lower than simple nickel electrodes, and the methanol oxidation pathway is changed. Nickel-based catalysts also have electrocatalytic activity towards a wide range of substrates. Experiments show that methanol, ethanol, glycerol and glucose can be deeply oxidized and carbon-carbon bonds can be broken during the oxidation. However, when comparing methanol oxidation reaction to oxygen evolution reaction catalyzed by current nickel-based catalysts, methanol oxidation suffers from high overpotential and catalyst poisoning by high concentration of substrates, so current nickel-based catalysts are more suitable to be used as oxygen evolution catalysts. A photoanode design that applies nickel oxides to a semiconductor that is incorporated with surface-plasmonic metal electrodes to do solar water oxidation with visible light is proposed.

Controllable Broadband Optical Transparency and Wettability Switching of Temperature-Activated Solid/Liquid-Infused Nanofibrous Membranes.

PubMed

Manabe, Kengo; Matsubayashi, Takeshi; Tenjimbayashi, Mizuki; Moriya, Takeo; Tsuge, Yosuke; Kyung, Kyu-Hong; Shiratori, Seimei

2016-09-29

Inspired by biointerfaces, such as the surfaces of lotus leaves and pitcher plants, researchers have developed innovative strategies for controlling surface wettability and transparency. In particular, great success has been achieved in obtaining low adhesion and high transmittance via the introduction of a liquid layer to form liquid-infused surfaces. Furthermore, smart surfaces that can change their surface properties according to external stimuli have recently attracted substantial interest. As some of the best-performing smart surface materials, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs), which are super-repellent, demonstrate the successful achievement of switchable adhesion and tunable transparency that can be controlled by a graded mechanical stimulus. However, despite considerable efforts, producing temperature-responsive, super-repellent surfaces at ambient temperature and pressure remains difficult because of the use of nonreactive lubricant oil as a building block in previously investigated repellent surfaces. Therefore, the present study focused on developing multifunctional materials that dynamically adapt to temperature changes. Here, we demonstrate temperature-activated solidifiable/liquid paraffin-infused porous surfaces (TA-SLIPSs) whose transparency and control of water droplet movement at room temperature can be simultaneously controlled. The solidification of the paraffin changes the surface morphology and the size of the light-transmission inhibitor in the lubricant layer; as a result, the control over the droplet movement and the light transmittance at different temperatures is dependent on the solidifiable/liquid paraffin mixing ratio. Further study of such temperature-responsive, multifunctional systems would be valuable for antifouling applications and the development of surfaces with tunable optical transparency for innovative medical applications, intelligent windows, and other devices.

Fabrication of hexagonal star-shaped and ring-shaped patterns arrays by Mie resonance sphere-lens-lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xianchao; Wang, Jun; Li, Ling; Gou, Jun; Zheng, Jie; Huang, Zehua; Pan, Rui

2018-05-01

Mie resonance sphere-lens-lithography has proved to be a good candidate for fabrication of large-area tunable surface nanopattern arrays. Different patterns on photoresist surface are obtained theoretically by adjusting optical coupling among neighboring spheres with different gap sizes. The effect of light reflection from the substrate on the pattern produced on the photoresist with a thin thickness is also discussed. Sub-micron hexagonal star-shaped and ring-shaped patterns arrays are achieved with close-packed spheres arrays and spheres arrays with big gaps, respectively. Changing of star-shaped vertices is induced by different polarization of illumination. Experimental results agree well with the simulation. By using smaller resonance spheres, sub-400 nm star-shaped and ring-shaped patterns can be realized. These tunable patterns are different from results of previous reports and have enriched pattern morphology fabricated by sphere-lens-lithography, which can find application in biosensor and optic devices.

Thin-film topological insulators for continuously tunable terahertz absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, D.; Zhang, S. B.

2018-02-01

One of the defining characteristics of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) is the appearance of a Dirac cone on its surface when it creates an interface with vacuum. For thin film TIs, however, the Dirac cones on opposite surfaces interact forming a small gap. For the case of three quintuple layers of Bi2Se3, we show that this gap can be continuously tuned between 128 meV and 0 meV with the application of modest perpendicular electric fields of less than 30 meV Å-1. Through both the Hamiltonian model and first-principles density functional theory calculations, we show that the inherent nonlinearity in realistic Dirac cone interaction leads to a gap which can be continuously tuned through the application of an external electric field. This tunability, coupled with the high optical absorption of thin film TIs, make this a very promising platform for terahertz and infrared detection.

Electrowetting Controlled Tunable Liquid Microlens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupenkin, Tom; Yang, Shu

2002-03-01

Electrowetting potentially provides a convenient way to control the shape and position of the liquid droplet on a rigid substrate. However, the effectiveness of this method relies strongly on the precise control of the surface properties of the substrate. Here we present a tunable liquid microlens capable of adjusting the position of its focal spot in all three dimensions. The microlens consists of a droplet of a transparent conductive liquid placed on a dielectric substrate with a hydrophobic coating. By varying the voltage applied to the structure, both the position and the curvature of the microlens can be changed. The influence of the bulk and surface properties of the materials on the microlens behavior is experimentally investigated and supported by theoretical calculations. Some of the potential problems associated with the stick-slip behavior and contact angle hysteresis are outlined and possible ways to prevent them are suggested.

A New Smart Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensor Based on pH-Responsive Polyacryloyl Hydrazine Capped Ag Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yuan, Shuai; Ge, Fengyan; Zhou, Man; Cai, Zaisheng; Guang, Shanyi

2017-08-14

A novel pH-responsive Ag@polyacryloyl hydrazide (Ag@PAH) nanoparticle for the first time as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was prepared without reducing agent and end-capping reagent. Ag@PAH nanoparticles exhibited an excellent tunable detecting performance in the range from pH = 4 to pH = 9. This is explained that the swelling-shrinking behavior of responsive PAH can control the distance between Ag NPs and the target molecules under external pH stimuli, resulting in the tunable LSPR and further controlled SERS. Furthermore, Ag@PAH nanoparticles possessed an ultra-sensitive detecting ability and the detection limit of Rhodamine 6G reduced to 10 -12  M. These advantages qualified Ag@PAH NP as a promising smart SERS substrate in the field of trace analysis and sensors.

Tunable surface acoustic wave device based on acoustoelectric interaction in ZnO/GaN heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rui; Reyes, Pavel I.; Ragavendiran, Sowmya; Shen, H.; Lu, Yicheng

2015-08-01

A tunable surface acoustic wave (SAW) device is developed on a multilayer structure which consists of an n-type semiconductor ZnO layer and a Ni-doped piezoelectric ZnO layer deposited on a GaN/c-Al2O3 substrate. The unique acoustic dispersion relationship between ZnO and GaN generates the multi-mode SAW response in this structure, facilitating high frequency operation. A dc bias voltage is applied to a Ti/Au gate layer deposited on the path of SAW delay line to modulate the electrical conductivity for tuning the acoustic velocity. For devices operating at 1.25 GHz, a maximum SAW velocity change of 0.9% is achieved, equivalent to the frequency change of 11.2 MHz. This voltage-controlled frequency tuning device has potential applications in resettable sensors, adaptive signal processing, and secure wireless communication.

Room-temperature Synthesis of Amorphous Molybdenum Oxide Nanodots with Tunable Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances.

PubMed

Zhu, Chuanhui; Xu, Qun; Ji, Liang; Ren, Yumei; Fang, Mingming

2017-12-05

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have recently emerged as a remarkable class of plasmonic alternative to conventional noble metals. However, tuning of their plasmonic resonances towards different wavelengths in the visible-light region with physical or chemical methods still remains challenging. In this work, we design a simple room-temperature chemical reaction route to synthesize amorphous molybdenum oxide (MoO 3-x ) nanodots that exhibit strong localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) in the visible and near-infrared region. Moreover, tunable plasmon resonances can be achieved in a wide range with the changing surrounding solvent, and accordingly the photoelectrocatalytic activity can be optimized with the varying LSPR peaks. This work boosts the light-matter interaction at the nanoscale and could enable photodetectors, sensors, and photovoltaic devices in the future. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multifunctional mussel-inspired copolymerized epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)/arginine coating: the potential as an ad-layer for vascular materials.

PubMed

Luo, Rifang; Tang, Linlin; Xie, Lingxia; Wang, Jin; Huang, Nan; Wang, Yunbing

2016-12-01

Surface properties are considered to be important factors in addressing proper functionalities. In this paper, a multifunctional mussel-inspired coating was prepared via the direct copolymerization of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and arginine. The coating formation was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The EGCG/arginine coating contained diverse functional groups like amines, phenols and carboxyls, whose densities were also tunable. Such mussel-inspired coating could also be applied as an ad-layer for its secondary reactivity, demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance technique. Moreover, the tunable surface density of phenols showed potential ability in modulating endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell viability. The coatings rich in phenols presented excellent free radical scavenging property. Current results strongly indicated the potential of EGCG/arginine coatings to be applied as an ad-layer for vascular materials.

Tunable ultra-broadband polarization filter based on three-core resonance of the fluid-infiltrated and gold-coated photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yingchao; Chen, Hailiang; Ma, Mingjian; Zhang, Wenxun; Wang, Yujun; Li, Shuguang

2018-03-01

We propose a tunable ultra-broadband polarization filter based on three-core resonance of the fluid-infiltrated and gold-coated high birefringent photonic crystal fiber (HB-PCF). Gold film was applied to the inner walls of two cladding air holes and surface plasmon polaritons were generated on its surface. The two gold-coated cladding air holes acted as two defective cores. As the phase matching condition was satisfied, light transmitted in the fiber core and coupled to the two defective cores. The three-core PCF supported three super modes in two orthogonal polarization directions. The coupling characteristics among these modes were investigated using the finite-element method. We found that the coupling wavelengths and strength between these guided modes can be tuned by altering the structural parameters of the designed HB-PCF, such as the size of the voids, thickness of the gold-films and liquid infilling pattern. Under the optimized structural parameters, a tunable broadband polarization filter was realized. For one liquid infilling pattern, we obtained a broadband polarization filter which filtered out the light in y-polarization direction at the wavelength of 1550 nm. For another liquid infilling pattern, we filtered out light in the x-polarization direction at the wavelength of 1310 nm. Our studies on the designed HB-PCF made contributions to the further devising of tunable broadband polarization filters, which are extensively used in telecommunication and sensor systems. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61505175 and 61475134) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (Grant Nos. F2017203110 and F2017203193).

Near-field radiative transfer in spectrally tunable double-layer phonon-polaritonic metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Didari, Azadeh; Elçioğlu, Elif Begüm; Okutucu-Özyurt, Tuba; Mengüç, M. Pinar

2018-06-01

Understanding of near-field radiative transfer is crucial for many advanced applications such as nanoscale energy harvesting, nano-manufacturing, thermal imaging, and radiative cooling. Near-field radiative transfer has been shown to be dependent on the material and morphological characteristics of systems, the gap distances between structures, and their temperatures. Surface interactions of phononic materials in close proximity of each other has led to promising results for novel near-field radiative transfer applications. For systems involving thin films and small structures, as the dimension(s) through which the heat transfer takes place is/are on the order of sub-micrometers, it is important to identify the impacts of size-related parameters on the results. In this work, we investigated the impact of geometric design and characteristics in a double-layer metamaterial system made up of GaN, SiC, h-BN; all of which have potential importance in micro-and nano-technological systems. The numerical study is performed using the NF-RT-FDTD algorithm, which is a versatile method to study near-field thermal radiation performances of advanced configurations of materials, even with arbitrary shapes. We have systematically investigated the thin film thickness, the substrate material, and the nanostructured surfaces effects, and reported on the best combination of scenarios among the studied cases to obtain maximum enhancement of radiative heat transfer rate. The findings of this work may be used in design and fabrication of new corrugated surfaces for energy harvesting purposes.

Self-assembling Gold Nanoparticle Monolayers in a Three-phase System - Overcoming Ligand Size Limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Guang; Nanda, Jagjit; Wang, Boya; Chen, Gang; Hallinan, Daniel T., Jr.

An effective self-assembly technique was developed to prepare centimeter-scale monolayer gold nanoparticle (Au NP) films of long-range order with hydrophobic ligands. Aqueous Au NPs were entrapped in the organic/aqueous interface where the Au NP surface was in situ modified with different types of amine ligands, including amine-terminated polystyrene. The Au NPs then spontaneously relocated to the air/water interface to form an NP monolayer. The spontaneous formation of an Au NP film at the organic/water interface was due to the minimization of the system Helmholtz free energy. Self-assembled Au NP films has a hexagonal close packed structure. The interparticle spacing was dictated by the amine ligand length. Thus-assembled Au NP monolayers exhibit tunable surface plasma resonance and excellent spacial homogeneity of surface-enhanced Raman-scattering. The ``air/water/oil'' self-assembly method developed in this study not only benefits the fundamental understanding of NP ligand conformations, but is also promising to scale up the manufacture of plasmonic nanoparticle devices with precisely designed optical properties. This study was financially supported by start-up funding supplied by the Florida State University and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Varifocal liquid lens based on microelectrofluidic technology.

PubMed

Chang, Jong-hyeon; Jung, Kyu-Dong; Lee, Eunsung; Choi, Minseog; Lee, Seungwan; Kim, Woonbae

2012-11-01

This Letter presents a tunable liquid lens based on microelectrofluidic technology. In the microelectrofluidic lens (MEFL), electrowetting in the hydrophobic surface channel induces the Laplace pressure difference between two fluidic interfaces on the lens aperture and the surface channel. Then, the pressure difference makes the lens curvature tunable. In spite of the contact angle saturation, the narrow surface channel increases the Laplace pressure to have a wide range of optical power variation in the MEFL. The magnitude of the applied voltage determines the lens curvature in the analog mode MEFL. Digital operation is also possible when the control electrodes of the MEFL are patterned to have an array. The lens aperture and maximum surface channel diameter were designed to 3.2 mm and 6.4 mm, respectively, with a channel height of 0.2 mm for an optical power range between +210 and -30 D. By switching the control electrodes, the averaged transit time in steps and turnaround time were as low as 2.4 ms and 16.5 ms, respectively, in good agreement with the simulation results. It is expected that the proposed MEFL may be widely used with advantages of wide variation of the optical power with fast and precise controllability in a digital manner.

Nanoporous membranes with electrochemically switchable, chemically stabilized ionic selectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Small, Leo J.; Wheeler, David R.; Spoerke, Erik D.

2015-10-01

Nanopore size, shape, and surface charge all play important roles in regulating ionic transport through nanoporous membranes. The ability to control these parameters in situ provides a means to create ion transport systems tunable in real time. Here, we present a new strategy to address this challenge, utilizing three unique electrochemically switchable chemistries to manipulate the terminal functional group and control the resulting surface charge throughout ensembles of gold plated nanopores in ion-tracked polycarbonate membranes 3 cm2 in area. We demonstrate the diazonium mediated surface functionalization with (1) nitrophenyl chemistry, (2) quinone chemistry, and (3) previously unreported trimethyl lock chemistry. Unlike other works, these chemistries are chemically stabilized, eliminating the need for a continuously applied gate voltage to maintain a given state and retain ionic selectivity. The effect of surface functionalization and nanopore geometry on selective ion transport through these functionalized membranes is characterized in aqueous solutions of sodium chloride at pH = 5.7. The nitrophenyl surface allows for ionic selectivity to be irreversibly switched in situ from cation-selective to anion-selective upon reduction to an aminophenyl surface. The quinone-terminated surface enables reversible changes between no ionic selectivity and a slight cationic selectivity. Alternatively, the trimethyl lock allows ionic selectivity to be reversibly switched by up to a factor of 8, approaching ideal selectivity, as a carboxylic acid group is electrochemically revealed or hidden. By varying the pore shape from cylindrical to conical, it is demonstrated that a controllable directionality can be imparted to the ionic selectivity. Combining control of nanopore geometry with stable, switchable chemistries facilitates superior control of molecular transport across the membrane, enabling tunable ion transport systems.Nanopore size, shape, and surface charge all play important roles in regulating ionic transport through nanoporous membranes. The ability to control these parameters in situ provides a means to create ion transport systems tunable in real time. Here, we present a new strategy to address this challenge, utilizing three unique electrochemically switchable chemistries to manipulate the terminal functional group and control the resulting surface charge throughout ensembles of gold plated nanopores in ion-tracked polycarbonate membranes 3 cm2 in area. We demonstrate the diazonium mediated surface functionalization with (1) nitrophenyl chemistry, (2) quinone chemistry, and (3) previously unreported trimethyl lock chemistry. Unlike other works, these chemistries are chemically stabilized, eliminating the need for a continuously applied gate voltage to maintain a given state and retain ionic selectivity. The effect of surface functionalization and nanopore geometry on selective ion transport through these functionalized membranes is characterized in aqueous solutions of sodium chloride at pH = 5.7. The nitrophenyl surface allows for ionic selectivity to be irreversibly switched in situ from cation-selective to anion-selective upon reduction to an aminophenyl surface. The quinone-terminated surface enables reversible changes between no ionic selectivity and a slight cationic selectivity. Alternatively, the trimethyl lock allows ionic selectivity to be reversibly switched by up to a factor of 8, approaching ideal selectivity, as a carboxylic acid group is electrochemically revealed or hidden. By varying the pore shape from cylindrical to conical, it is demonstrated that a controllable directionality can be imparted to the ionic selectivity. Combining control of nanopore geometry with stable, switchable chemistries facilitates superior control of molecular transport across the membrane, enabling tunable ion transport systems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures, synthesis, and characterization of molecules 1, 2 and 3. Explanation of the electrochemical method for approximating nanopore diameter. Additional XPS spectra. See DOI: 10.1039/C5NR02939B

Transportation of single cell and microbubbles by phase-shift introduced to standing leaky surface acoustic waves

PubMed Central

Meng, Long; Cai, Feiyan; Zhang, Zidong; Niu, Lili; Jin, Qiaofeng; Yan, Fei; Wu, Junru; Wang, Zhanhui; Zheng, Hairong

2011-01-01

A microfluidic device was developed to precisely transport a single cell or multiple microbubbles by introducing phase-shifts to a standing leaky surface acoustic wave (SLSAW). The device consists of a polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) microchannel and two phase-tunable interdigital transducers (IDTs) for the generation of the relative phase for the pair of surface acoustic waves (SAW) propagating along the opposite directions forming a standing wave. When the SAW contacts the fluid medium inside the microchannel, some of SAW energy is coupled to the fluid and the SAW becomes the leaky surface wave. By modulating the relative phase between two IDTs, the positions of pressure nodes of the SLSAW in the microchannel change linearly resulting in the transportation of a single cell or microbubbles. The results also reveal that there is a good linear relationship between the relative phase and the displacement of a single cell or microbubbles. Furthermore, the single cell and the microbubbles can be transported over a predetermined distance continuously until they reach the targeted locations. This technique has its distinct advantages, such as precise position-manipulation, simple to implement, miniature size, and noninvasive character, which may provide an effective method for the position-manipulation of a single cell and microbubbles in many biological and biomedical applications. PMID:22662056

Photoluminescence Spectra From The Direct Energy Gap of a-SiQDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdul-Ameer, Nidhal M.; Abdulrida, Moafak C.; Abdul-Hakeem, Shatha M.

2018-05-01

A theoretical model for radiative recombination in amorphous silicon quantum dots (a-SiQDs) was developed. In this model, for the first time, the coexistence of both spatial and quantum confinements were considered. Also, it is found that the photoluminescence exhibits significant size dependence in the range (1-4) nm of the quantum dots. a-SiQDs show visible light emission peak energies and high radiative quantum efficiency at room temperature,in contrast to bulk a-Si structures. The quantum efficiency is sensitive to any change in defect density (the volume nonradiative centers density and/or the surface nonradiative centers density) but, with small dots sizes, the quantum efficiency is insensitive to such defects. Our analysis shows that the photoluminescence intensity increases or decreases by the effect of radiative quantum efficiency. By controlling the size of a-SiQDs, we note that the energy of emission can be tuned. The blue shift is attributed to quantum confinement effect. Meanwhile, the spatial confinement effect is clearly observed in red shift in emission spectra. we found a good agreement with the experimental published data. Therefore, we assert that a-SiQDs material is a promising candidate for visible, tunable, and high performance devices of light emitting.

Voltage tunable two-color superlattice infrared photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, Amlan; Choi, Kwong-Kit; Reno, John L.; Tsui, Daniel C.

2004-11-01

We present the design and fabrication of voltage tunable two-color superlattice infrared photodetectors (SLIPs), where the detection wavelength switches from the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) range to the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) range upon reversing the polarity of applied bias. The photoactive region of these detectors contains multiple periods of two distinct short-period SLs that are designed for MWIR and LWIR detection. The voltage tunable operation is achieved by using two types of thick blocking barriers between adjacent SLs - undoped barriers on one side for low energy electrons and heavily-doped layers on the other side for high energy electrons. We grew two SLIP structures by molecular beam epitaxy. The first one consists of two AlGaAs/GaAs SLs with the detection range switching from the 7-11 μm band to the 4-7 μm range on reversing the bias polarity. The background-limited temperature is 55 and 80 K for LWIR and MWIR detection, respectively. The second structure comprises of strained InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs SLs and AlGaAs/GaAs SLs. The detection range of this SLIP changes from the 8-12 μm band to the 3-5 μm band on switching the bias polarity. The background-limited temperature is 70 and 110 K for LWIR and MWIR detection, respectively. This SLIP is the first ever voltage tunable MWIR/LWIR detector with performance comparable to those of one-color quantum-well infrared detectors designed for the respective wavelength ranges. We also demonstrate that the corrugated light coupling scheme, which enables normal-incidence absorption, is suitable for the two-color SLIPs. Since these SLIPs are two-terminal devices, they can be used with the corrugated geometry for the production of low-cost large-area two-color focal plane arrays.

Compact fixed wavelength femtosecond oscillators as an add-on for tunable Ti:sapphire lasers extend the range of applications towards multimodal imaging and optogenetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakulinen, T.; Klein, J.

2016-03-01

Two-photon (2P) microscopy based on tunable Ti:sapphire lasers has become a widespread tool for 3D imaging with sub-cellular resolution in living tissues. In recent years multi-photon microscopy with simpler fixed-wavelength femtosecond oscillators using Yb-doped tungstenates as gain material has raised increasing interest in life-sciences, because these lasers offer one order of magnitude more average power than Ti:sapphire lasers in the wavelength range around 1040 nm: Two-photon (2P) excitation of mainly red or yellow fluorescent dyes and proteins (e.g. YFP, mFruit series) simultaneously has been proven with a single IR laser wavelength. A new approach is to extend the usability of existing tunable Titanium sapphire lasers by adding a fixed IR wavelength with an Yb femtosecond oscillator. By that means a multitude of applications for multimodal imaging and optogenetics can be supported. Furthermore fs Yb-lasers are available with a repetition rate of typically 10 MHz and an average power of typically 5 W resulting in pulse energy of typically 500 nJ, which is comparably high for fs-oscillators. This makes them an ideal tool for two-photon spinning disk laser scanning microscopy and holographic patterning for simultaneous photoactivation of large cell populations. With this work we demonstrate that economical, small-footprint Yb fixed-wavelength lasers can present an interesting add-on to tunable lasers that are commonly used in multiphoton microscopy. The Yb fs-lasers hereby offer higher power for imaging of red fluorescent dyes and proteins, are ideally enhancing existing Ti:sapphire lasers with more power in the IR, and are supporting pulse energy and power hungry applications such as spinning disk microscopy and holographic patterning.

Excitation energy dependence of excited states dynamics in all- trans-carotenes determined by femtosecond absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosumi, Daisuke; Yanagi, Kazuhiro; Nishio, Tomohiro; Hashimoto, Hideki; Yoshizawa, Masayuki

2005-06-01

Ultrafast relaxation kinetics in β-carotene and lycopene has been investigated by femtosecond absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies using tunable excitation pulses. The transient signals induced by the photoexcitation with larger excess energy have broader bands and longer lifetimes both in the 11Bu+and21Ag- excited states. The excess vibrational energy remains longer than several picoseconds and slows the relaxation kinetics in carotenoids.

Energy-band engineering for tunable memory characteristics through controlled doping of reduced graphene oxide.

PubMed

Han, Su-Ting; Zhou, Ye; Yang, Qing Dan; Zhou, Li; Huang, Long-Biao; Yan, Yan; Lee, Chun-Sing; Roy, Vellaisamy A L

2014-02-25

Tunable memory characteristics are used in multioperational mode circuits where memory cells with various functionalities are needed in one combined device. It is always a challenge to obtain control over threshold voltage for multimode operation. On this regard, we use a strategy of shifting the work function of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in a controlled manner through doping gold chloride (AuCl3) and obtained a gradient increase of rGO work function. By inserting doped rGO as floating gate, a controlled threshold voltage (Vth) shift has been achieved in both p- and n-type low voltage flexible memory devices with large memory window (up to 4 times for p-type and 8 times for n-type memory devices) in comparison with pristine rGO floating gate memory devices. By proper energy band engineering, we demonstrated a flexible floating gate memory device with larger memory window and controlled threshold voltage shifts.

A Review of Tunable Wavelength Selectivity of Metamaterials in Near-Field and Far-Field Radiative Thermal Transport

PubMed Central

Tian, Yanpei; Ricci, Matt; Hyde, Mikhail; Gregory, Otto; Zheng, Yi

2018-01-01

Radiative thermal transport of metamaterials has begun to play a significant role in thermal science and has great engineering applications. When the key features of structures become comparable to the thermal wavelength at a particular temperature, a narrowband or wideband of wavelengths can be created or shifted in both the emission and reflection spectrum of nanoscale metamaterials. Due to the near-field effect, the phenomena of radiative wavelength selectivity become significant. These effects show strong promise for applications in thermophotovoltaic energy harvesting, nanoscale biosensing, and increased energy efficiency through radiative cooling in the near future. This review paper summarizes the recent progress and outlook of both near-field and far-field radiative heat transfer, different design structures of metamaterials, applications of unique thermal and optical properties, and focuses especially on exploration of the tunable radiative wavelength selectivity of nano-metamaterials. PMID:29786650

Widely tunable eye-safe laser by a passively Q-switched photonic crystal fiber laser and an external-cavity optical parametric oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, H. L.; Zhuang, W. Z.; Huang, W. C.; Huang, J. Y.; Huang, K. F.; Chen, Y. F.

2011-09-01

We report on a widely tunable passively Q-switched photonic crystal fiber (PCF) laser with wavelength tuning range up to 80 nm. The PCF laser utilizes an AlGaInAs quantum well/barrier structure as a saturable absorber and incorporates an external-cavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to achieve wavelength conversion. Under a pump power of 13.1 W at 976 nm, the PCF laser generated 1029-nm radiation with maximum output energy of 750 μJ and was incident into an external-cavity OPO. The output energy and peak power of signal wave was found to be 138 μJ and 19 kW, respectively. By tuning the temperature of nonlinear crystal, periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), in the OPO, the signal wavelength in eye-safe regime from 1513 to 1593 nm was obtained.

Mass attenuation coefficients in the range 3.8⩽E⩽11 keV, K fluorescence yield and Kβ/Kα relative X-ray emission rate for Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn measured with a tunable monochromatic X-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ménesguen, Y.; Lépy, M.-C.

2010-08-01

This work presents new measurements of mass attenuation coefficients in the range 3.8⩽E⩽11 keV, K-absorption jump-ratios, Kα and Kβ fluorescence yields for Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn. We use the experimental facility SOLEX, a tunable monochromatic X-ray source combined with an energy-dispersive high-purity germanium detector. The results are compared with theoretical values as well as with other experimental data and show a relatively good agreement. However, the derived K-jump-ratios appear larger than those widely used in the XCOM database. The Kα and Kβ fluorescence yields and the corresponding relative emission rates Kβ/Kα are also derived, which was made possible by the use of energy-dispersive detectors with good spectral resolution.

Far infrared vibration-rotation-tunneling spectroscopy and internal dynamics of methane-water: A prototypical hydrophobic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dore, L.; Cohen, R. C.; Schmuttenmaer, C. A.; Busarow, K. L.; Elrod, M. J.; Loeser, J. G.; Saykally, R. J.

1994-01-01

Thirteen vibration-rotation-tunneling (VRT) bands of the CH4-H2O complex have been measured in the range from 18 to 35.5 cm-1 using tunable far infrared laser spectroscopy. The ground state has an average center of mass separation of 3.70 Å and a stretching force constant of 1.52 N/m, indicating that this complex is more strongly bound than Ar-H2O. The eigenvalue spectrum has been calculated with a variational procedure using a spherical expansion of a site-site ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface [J. Chem. Phys. 93, 7808 (1991)]. The computed eigenvalues exhibit a similar pattern to the observed spectra but are not in quantitative agreement. These observations suggest that both monomers undergo nearly free internal rotation within the complex.

Tunable multiband polarization conversion and manipulation in vanadium dioxide-based asymmetric chiral metamaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shichao; Ma, Xiaoliang; Pu, Mingbo; Li, Xiong; Zhang, Zuojun; Gao, Ping; Luo, Xiangang

2018-04-01

Tunable multiband polarization conversion and manipulation are achieved by introducing vanadium dioxide (VO2) into a planar spiral asymmetric chiral metamaterial. Numerical simulations demonstrate that when VO2 is in the insulating state, circularly polarized electromagnetic waves are emitted at two distinct resonant frequencies. When VO2 is in the metallic state, the number of resonant frequencies changes from two to four. In addition, the initial left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized transmitted waves correspondingly transform into right and left ones. Moreover, the surface current distributions are studied in order to investigate the transformation behaviors of both the insulating and metallic states.

Photonic polymer-blend structures and method for making

DOEpatents

Barnes, Michael D.

2004-06-29

The present invention comprises the formation of photonic polymer-blend structures having tunable optical and mechanical properties. The photonic polymer-blend structures comprise monomer units of spherical microparticles of a polymer-blend material wherein the spherical microparticles have surfaces partially merged with one another in a robust inter-particle bond having a tunable inter-particle separation or bond length sequentially attached in a desired and programmable architecture. The photonic polymer-blend structures of the present invention can be linked by several hundred individual particles sequentially linked to form complex three-dimensional structures or highly ordered two-dimensional arrays of 3D columns with 2D spacing.

A tunable lighting system integrated by inorganic and transparent organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jing-jing; Zhang, Tao; Jin, Ya-fang; Liu, Shi-shen; Yuan, Shi-dong; Cui, Zhao; Zhang, Li; Wang, Wei-hui

2014-05-01

A tunable surface-emitting integrated lighting system is constructed using a combination of inorganic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and transparent organic LEDs (OLEDs). An RB two-color LED is used to supply red and blue light emission, and a green organic LED is used to supply green light emission. Currents of the LED and OLED are tuned to produce a white color, showing different Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperatures with a wide adjustable range. Such an integration can compensate for the lack of the LED's luminance uniformity and the transparent OLED's luminance intensity.

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.

Magnetically tunable unidirectional waveguide based on magnetic photonic crystals

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

Tong, Weiwei; Wang, Jiafu, E-mail: wangjiafu1981@126.com, E-mail: qushaobo@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Wang, Jun

2016-08-01

In this letter, we presented a magnetically tunable ferrite-loaded unidirectional waveguide based on magnetic photonic crystals. Two rows of ferrite rods are symmetrically arranged near the two lateral sides of the rectangular waveguide, where they are biased with static magnetic fields with the same amplitude and opposite directions along the rod axis. Since the magnetic one-way transmission is induced by the magnetic surface plasmon resonance, the operating band of the unidirectional waveguide can be tuned by changing the biased magnetic field intensity. To validate the design, a prototype was fabricated and measured. Both the simulation and experiment results verify themore » unidirectional transmission property.« less

AOARD Overview Power and Energy Emphasis

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Evolutionary Research (Incremental Advances) P&E Materials Including Fluids: - Tunable thermal conductivity - Large CTE material matching - Nanofluids ...Charge Rate Objective: • Investigate 10-20x smaller nano-powder particle sizes to shorten charging rate • Study doping transition metals into the

"On the Dot"-The Timing of Self-Assembled Growth to the Quantum Scale.

PubMed

Sonkaria, Sanjiv; Ahn, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Caroline S; Khare, Varsha

2017-06-16

Understanding the complex world of material growth and tunability has mystified the minds of material scientists and has been met with increasing efforts to close the gap between controllability and applicability. The reality of this journey is frustratingly tortuous but is being eased through better conceptual appreciation of metal crystalline frameworks that originate from shape and size dependent solvent responsive growth patterns. The quantum confinement of TiO 2 in the range of 0.8-2 nm has been synthetically challenging to achieve but lessons from biomineralization processes have enabled alternative routes to be explored via self-induced pre-nucleation events. In driving this concept, we have incorporated many of these key features integrating aspects of low temperature annealing at the interface of complex heterogeneous nucleation between hard and soft materials to arrest the biomimetic amorphous phase of TiO 2 to a tunable crystalline quantumized state. The stabilization of metastable states of quantum sized TiO 2 driven by kinetic and thermodynamic processes show hallmarks of biomineralized controlled events that suggest the inter-play between new pathways and interfacial energies that preferentially favor low dimensionality at the quantum scale. This provides the potential to re-direct synthetic assemblies under tightly controlled parameters to generate a host of new materials with size, shape and anisotropic properties as smart stimuli responsive materials. These new stabilities leading to the growth arrest of TiO 2 are discussed in terms of molecular interactions and structural frameworks that were previously inaccessible via conventional routes. There exists an undiscovered parallel between synthetic and biomineralized routes enabling unprecedented access to the availability and tunability of novel quantum confined materials. The parametrics of complex material design at the crossroads of synthetically and biologically driven processes is only now surfacing. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Atom-Thin SnS2-xSex with Adjustable Compositions by Direct Liquid Exfoliation from Single Crystals.

PubMed

Yang, Zhanhai; Liang, Hui; Wang, Xusheng; Ma, Xinlei; Zhang, Tao; Yang, Yanlian; Xie, Liming; Chen, Dong; Long, Yujia; Chen, Jitao; Chang, Yunjie; Yan, Chunhua; Zhang, Xinxiang; Zhang, Xueji; Ge, Binghui; Ren, Zhian; Xue, Mianqi; Chen, Genfu

2016-01-26

Two-dimensional (2D) chalcogenide materials are fundamentally and technologically fascinating for their suitable band gap energy and carrier type relevant to their adjustable composition, structure, and dimensionality. Here, we demonstrate the exfoliation of single-crystal SnS2-xSex (SSS) with S/Se vacancies into an atom-thin layer by simple sonication in ethanol without additive. The introduction of vacancies at the S/Se site, the conflicting atomic radius of sulfur in selenium layers, and easy incorporation with an ethanol molecule lead to high ion accessibility; therefore, atom-thin SSS flakes can be effectively prepared by exfoliating the single crystal via sonication. The in situ pyrolysis of such materials can further adjust their compositions, representing tunable activation energy, band gap, and also tunable response to analytes of such materials. As the most basic and crucial step of the 2D material field, the successful synthesis of an uncontaminated and atom-thin sample will further push ahead the large-scale applications of 2D materials, including, but not limited to, electronics, sensing, catalysis, and energy storage fields.

Bi1−xLaxCuSeO as New Tunable Full Solar Light Active Photocatalysts

PubMed Central

Wang, Huanchun; Li, Shun; Liu, Yaochun; Ding, Jinxuan; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Xu, Haomin; Xu, Ben; Nan, Ce-Wen

2016-01-01

Photocatalysis is attracting enormous interest driven by the great promise of addressing current energy and environmental crises by converting solar light directly into chemical energy. However, efficiently harvesting solar energy for photocatalysis remains a pressing challenge, and the charge kinetics and mechanism of the photocatalytic process is far from being well understood. Here we report a new full solar spectrum driven photocatalyst in the system of a layered oxyselenide BiCuSeO with good photocatalytic activity for degradation of organic pollutants and chemical stability under light irradiation, and the photocatalytic performance of BiCuSeO can be further improved by band gap engineering with introduction of La. Our measurements and density-functional-theory calculations reveal that the effective mass and mobility of the carriers in BiCuSeO can be tuned by the La-doping, which are responsible for the tunable photocatalytic activity. Our findings may offer new perspectives for understanding the mechanism of photocatalysis through modulating the charge mobility and the effective mass of carriers and provide a guidance for designing efficient photocatalyts. PMID:27095046

CW seeded optical parametric amplifier providing wavelength and pulse duration tunable nearly transform limited pulses.

PubMed

Hädrich, S; Gottschall, T; Rothhardt, J; Limpert, J; Tünnermann, A

2010-02-01

An optical parametric amplifier that delivers nearly transform limited pulses is presented. The center wavelength of these pulses can be tuned between 993 nm and 1070 nm and, at the same time, the pulse duration is varied between 206 fs and 650 fs. At the shortest pulse duration the pulse energy was increased up to 7.2 microJ at 50 kHz repetition rate. Variation of the wavelength is achieved by applying a tunable cw seed while the pulse duration can be varied via altering the pump pulse duration. This scheme offers superior flexibility and scaling possibilities.

Edge states in a ferromagnetic honeycomb lattice with armchair boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantaleón, Pierre A.; Xian, Y.

2018-02-01

We investigate the properties of magnon edge states in a ferromagnetic honeycomb lattice with armchair boundaries. In contrast with fermionic graphene, we find novel edge states due to the missing bonds along the boundary sites. After introducing an external on-site potential at the outermost sites we find that the energy spectra of the edge states are tunable. Additionally, when a non-trivial gap is induced, we find that some of the edge states are topologically protected and also tunable. Our results may explain the origin of the novel edge states recently observed in photonic lattices. We also discuss the behavior of these edge states for further experimental confirmations.

Dynamically tunable dendritic graphene-based absorber with thermal stability at infrared regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hailong; Xia, Hui; Guo, Zhibo; Xie, Ding; Li, Hongjian

2018-06-01

The infrared polarization-insensitive absorber, which is composed of dendritic metal, graphene layer, silicon dioxides layer, gallium arsenide substrate, and metal plate, is investigated theoretically and numerically. The tunability can be realized by loading a graphene layer into the structure. The position of absorption peak can be tuned by manipulating the graphene's Fermi energy. Compared with the previously reported graphene-based absorbers, the system has the advantage of temperature-independent high absorption. The results indicate that the proposed absorber can be used in the applications of the refractive index sensor with a sensitivity of 587.8 nm/refractive index unit and temperature-insensitive infrared absorber.

Tunable geometric Fano resonances in a metal/insulator stack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grotewohl, Herbert

We present a theoretical analysis of surface-plasmon-mediated mode-coupling in a planar thin film metal/insulator stack. The spatial overlap of a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and a waveguide mode results in a Fano interference analog. Tuning of the material parameters effects the modes and output fields of the system. Lastly, the intensity and phase sensitivity of the system are compared to a standard surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We begin with background information on Fano interference, an interference effect between two indistinguishable pathways. Originally described for autoionization, we discuss the analogs in other systems. We discuss the features of Fano interference in the mode diagrams, and the Fano resonance observed in the output field. The idea of a geometric Fano resonance (GFR) occurring in the angular domain is presented. Background information on surface plasmon polaritons is covered next. The dielectric properties of metals and how they relate to surface plasmons is first reviewed. The theoretical background of SPPs on an infinite planar surface is covered. The modes of a two planar interface metal/insulator stack are reviewed and the leaky properties of the waveguide are shown in the reflectance. We solve for modes of a three interface metal/insulator stack and shows an avoided crossing in the modes indicative of Fano interference. We observe the asymmetric Fano resonance in the angular domain in the reflectance. The tunability of the material parameters tunes the GFR of the system. The GFR tuning is explored and different Fano lineshapes are observed. We also observe a reversal of the asymmetry Fano lineshape, attributed to the relate phase interactions of the non-interacting modes. The phase of the GFR is calculated and discussed for the variations of the parameters. The reflected field is explored as the insulator permittivities are varied. As the waveguide permittivity is varied, we show there is little response from the system. As the exterior permittivity is varied, the reflectance exhibits the geometric Fano resonance and the tunability of the lineshape is explored. Finally, we calculate the sensitivities of our metal/insulator stack to changes in the permittivity and compare them to the sensitivities of SPRs.

Development of a portable petroleum by-products chemical sensor : phase III and IV.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-21

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are considered to have potential for chemical sensing application : because of their high surface to volume ratio and unique size tunable properties like : photoluminescence (PL). However, our study revealed for the f...

Reconfigurable all-dielectric metasurface based on tunable chemical systems in aqueous solution.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Di; Wu, Shiyue; Yin, Yang; Li, Lanshuo; Cao, Kaiyuan; Huang, Kama

2017-06-09

Dynamic control transmission and polarization properties of electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation is investigated using chemical reconfigurable all-dielectric metasurface. The metasurface is composed of cross-shaped periodical teflon tubes and inner filled chemical systems (i.e., mixtures and chemical reaction) in aqueous solution. By tuning the complex permittivity of chemical systems, the reconfigurable metasurface can be easily achieved. The transmission properties of different incident polarized waves (i.e., linear and circular polarization) were simulated and experimentally measured for static ethanol solution as volume ratio changed. Both results indicated this metasurface can serve as either tunable FSS (Frequency Selective Surface) or tunable linear-to-circular/cross Polarization Converter at required frequency range. Based on the reconfigurable laws obtained from static solutions, we developed a dynamic dielectric system and researched a typical chemical reaction with time-varying permittivity filled in the tubes experimentally. It provides new ways for realizing automatic reconfiguration of metasurface by chemical reaction system with given variation laws of permittivity.

Graphene-Based Flexible and Transparent Tunable Capacitors.

PubMed

Man, Baoyuan; Xu, Shicai; Jiang, Shouzheng; Liu, Aihua; Gao, Shoubao; Zhang, Chao; Qiu, Hengwei; Li, Zhen

2015-12-01

We report a kind of electric field tunable transparent and flexible capacitor with the structure of graphene-Bi1.5MgNb1.5O7 (BMN)-graphene. The graphene films with low sheet resistance were grown by chemical vapor deposition. The BMN thin films were fabricated on graphene by using laser molecular beam epitaxy technology. Compared to BMN films grown on Au, the samples on graphene substrates show better quality in terms of crystallinity, surface morphology, leakage current, and loss tangent. By transferring another graphene layer, we fabricated flexible and transparent capacitors with the structure of graphene-BMN-graphene. The capacitors show a large dielectric constant of 113 with high dielectric tunability of ~40.7 % at a bias field of 1.0 MV/cm. Also, the capacitor can work stably in the high bending condition with curvature radii as low as 10 mm. This flexible film capacitor has a high optical transparency of ~90 % in the visible light region, demonstrating their potential application for a wide range of flexible electronic devices.

Integrated Method for Purification and Single-Particle Characterization of Lentiviral Vector Systems by Size Exclusion Chromatography and Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing.

PubMed

Heider, Susanne; Muzard, Julien; Zaruba, Marianne; Metzner, Christoph

2017-07-01

Elements derived from lentiviral particles such as viral vectors or virus-like particles are commonly used for biotechnological and biomedical applications, for example in mammalian protein expression, gene delivery or therapy, and vaccine development. Preparations of high purity are necessary in most cases, especially for clinical applications. For purification, a wide range of methods are available, from density gradient centrifugation to affinity chromatography. In this study we have employed size exclusion columns specifically designed for the easy purification of extracellular vesicles including exosomes. In addition to viral marker protein and total protein analysis, a well-established single-particle characterization technology, termed tunable resistive pulse sensing, was employed to analyze fractions of highest particle load and purity and characterize the preparations by size and surface charge/electrophoretic mobility. With this study, we propose an integrated platform combining size exclusion chromatography and tunable resistive pulse sensing for monitoring production and purification of viral particles.

From tunable core-shell nanoparticles to plasmonic drawbridges: Active control of nanoparticle optical properties

PubMed Central

Byers, Chad P.; Zhang, Hui; Swearer, Dayne F.; Yorulmaz, Mustafa; Hoener, Benjamin S.; Huang, Da; Hoggard, Anneli; Chang, Wei-Shun; Mulvaney, Paul; Ringe, Emilie; Halas, Naomi J.; Nordlander, Peter; Link, Stephan; Landes, Christy F.

2015-01-01

The optical properties of metallic nanoparticles are highly sensitive to interparticle distance, giving rise to dramatic but frequently irreversible color changes. By electrochemical modification of individual nanoparticles and nanoparticle pairs, we induced equally dramatic, yet reversible, changes in their optical properties. We achieved plasmon tuning by oxidation-reduction chemistry of Ag-AgCl shells on the surfaces of both individual and strongly coupled Au nanoparticle pairs, resulting in extreme but reversible changes in scattering line shape. We demonstrated reversible formation of the charge transfer plasmon mode by switching between capacitive and conductive electronic coupling mechanisms. Dynamic single-particle spectroelectrochemistry also gave an insight into the reaction kinetics and evolution of the charge transfer plasmon mode in an electrochemically tunable structure. Our study represents a highly useful approach to the precise tuning of the morphology of narrow interparticle gaps and will be of value for controlling and activating a range of properties such as extreme plasmon modulation, nanoscopic plasmon switching, and subnanometer tunable gap applications. PMID:26665175

Experimental demonstrations in audible frequency range of band gap tunability and negative refraction in two-dimensional sonic crystal.

PubMed

Pichard, Hélène; Richoux, Olivier; Groby, Jean-Philippe

2012-10-01

The propagation of audible acoustic waves in two-dimensional square lattice tunable sonic crystals (SC) made of square cross-section infinitely rigid rods embedded in air is investigated experimentally. The band structure is calculated with the plane wave expansion (PWE) method and compared with experimental measurements carried out on a finite extend structure of 200 cm width, 70 cm depth and 15 cm height. The structure is made of square inclusions of 5 cm side with a periodicity of L = 7.5 cm placed inbetween two rigid plates. The existence of tunable complete band gaps in the audible frequency range is demonstrated experimentally by rotating the scatterers around their vertical axis. Negative refraction is then analyzed by use of the anisotropy of the equi-frequency surface (EFS) in the first band and of a finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. Experimental results finally show negative refraction in the audible frequency range.

Highly tunable quantum Hall far-infrared photodetector by use of GaAs/Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}As-graphene composite material

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

Tang, Chiu-Chun; Ling, D. C.; Chi, C. C.

2014-11-03

We have developed a highly tunable, narrow band far-infrared (FIR) photodetector which utilizes the characteristic merits of graphene and two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in GaAs/Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}As heterostructure in the Quantum Hall states (QHS). The heterostructure surface is covered with chemical vapor-deposited graphene, which functions as a transparent top-gate to vary the electron density of the 2DEG. FIR response observed in the vicinity of integer QH regime can be effectively tuned in a wide range of 27–102 cm{sup −1} with a bias voltage less than −1 V. In addition, we have found that the presence of graphene can genuinely modulate the photoresponse.more » Our results demonstrate a promising direction for realizing a tunable long-wavelength FIR detector using QHS in GaAs 2DEG/ graphene composite material.« less

Ultrafast exciton dynamics in cadmium selenide nanocrystals determined by femtosecond fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, David Frederick

Femtosecond fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy is a technique that allows the unambiguous determination of the excited state dynamics of an analyte. Combining this method with the use of tunable laser excitation, the exciton dynamics in semiconducting nanocrystals (NC's) of cadmium selenide (CdSe) have been determined, devoid of the complications arising from more common spectroscopic methods such as pump-probe. The results of this investigation were used to construct a model to fully describe the three-level system comprising of the valence and conduction bands and surface states, which have been calculated by others to lie mid-gap in energy. Smaller NC's showed faster decay components due to increased interaction between the exciton and surface states. The deep trap emission, which has never before been measured by ultrafast fluorescence techniques, shows a rapid rise time (˜2 ps), which is attributed to surface selenium dangling bonds relaxing to the valence band and radiatively combining with the photo-generated hole. The band edge fluorescence decays as the deep trap emission grows in, inherently coupling the two processes. An experiment which measured the dependence of the excitation energy showed that increased energy imparted to the NC's resulted in increased rise times, yielding the timescales for exciton relaxation through the valence and conduction band states to the lowest emitting state. Surface-oxidized and normally-passivated NC's display the same decay dynamics in time but differ in relative amplitude; the latter point agrees with steady-state measurements. The rotational anisotrophy of the NC's was measured and agrees with previous pump-probe data. Upconversion on the red and blue sides of the static fluorescence spectrum showed no discernable differences, which is either and inherent limitation of the experimental apparatus, or the possibility that lower-lying triplet states are populated on a timescale below the instrument resolution.

Light-matter Interactions in Semiconductors and Metals: From Nitride Optoelectronics to Quantum Plasmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narang, Prineha

This thesis puts forth a theory-directed approach coupled with spectroscopy aimed at the discovery and understanding of light-matter interactions in semiconductors and metals. The first part of the thesis presents the discovery and development of Zn-IV nitride materials. The commercial prominence in the optoelectronics industry of tunable semiconductor alloy materials based on nitride semiconductor devices, specifically InGaN, motivates the search for earth-abundant alternatives for use in efficient, high-quality optoelectronic devices. II-IV-N2 compounds, which are closely related to the wurtzite-structured III-N semiconductors, have similar electronic and optical properties to InGaN namely direct band gaps, high quantum efficiencies and large optical absorption coefficients. The choice of different group II and group IV elements provides chemical diversity that can be exploited to tune the structural and electronic properties through the series of alloys. The first theoretical and experimental investigation of the ZnSnxGe1--xN2 series as a replacement for III-nitrides is discussed here. The second half of the thesis shows ab-initio calculations for surface plasmons and plasmonic hot carrier dynamics. Surface plasmons, electromagnetic modes confined to the surface of a conductor-dielectric interface, have sparked renewed interest because of their quantum nature and their broad range of applications. The decay of surface plasmons is usually a detriment in the field of plasmonics, but the possibility to capture the energy normally lost to heat would open new opportunities in photon sensors, energy conversion devices and switching. A theoretical understanding of plasmon-driven hot carrier generation and relaxation dynamics in the ultrafast regime is presented here. Additionally calculations for plasmon-mediated upconversion as well as an energy-dependent transport model for these non-equilibrium carriers are shown. Finally, this thesis gives an outlook on the potential of non-equilibrium phenomena in metals and semiconductors for future light-based technologies.

Enhanced spin Seebeck effect signal due to spin-momentum locked topological surface states

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Zilong; Chang, Cui -Zu; Masir, Massoud Ramezani; ...

2016-05-04

Spin-momentum locking in protected surface states enables efficient electrical detection of magnon decay at a magnetic-insulator/topological-insulator heterojunction. Here we demonstrate this property using the spin Seebeck effect (SSE), that is, measuring the transverse thermoelectric response to a temperature gradient across a thin film of yttrium iron garnet, an insulating ferrimagnet, and forming a heterojunction with (Bi xSb 1–x) 2Te 3, a topological insulator. The non-equilibrium magnon population established at the interface can decay in part by interactions of magnons with electrons near the Fermi energy of the topological insulator. When this decay channel is made active by tuning (Bi xSbmore » 1–x) 2Te 3 into a bulk insulator, a large electromotive force emerges in the direction perpendicular to the in-plane magnetization of yttrium iron garnet. Lastly, the enhanced, tunable SSE which occurs when the Fermi level lies in the bulk gap offers unique advantages over the usual SSE in metals and therefore opens up exciting possibilities in spintronics.« less

Modulation of spin dynamics via voltage control of spin-lattice coupling in multiferroics

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Mingmin; Zhou, Ziyao; Peng, Bin; ...

2017-02-03

Our work aims at magnonics manipulation by the magnetoelectric coupling effect and is motivated by the most recent progresses in both magnonics (spin dynamics) and multiferroics fields. Here, voltage control of magnonics, particularly the surface spin waves, is achieved in La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3/0.7Pb(Mg 1/3Nb 2/3)O 3-0.3PbTiO 3 multiferroic heterostructures. With the electron spin resonance method, a large 135 Oe shift of surface spin wave resonance (≈7 times greater than conventional voltage-induced ferromagnetic resonance shift of 20 Oe) is determined. A model of the spin-lattice coupling effect, i.e., varying exchange stiffness due to voltage-induced anisotropic lattice changes, has been establishedmore » to explain experiment results with good agreement. In addition, an “on” and “off” spin wave state switch near the critical angle upon applying a voltage is created. The modulation of spin dynamics by spin-lattice coupling effect provides a platform for realizing energy-efficient, tunable magnonics devices.« less

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering on tunable plasmonic nanoparticle substrates

PubMed Central

Jackson, J. B.; Halas, N. J.

2004-01-01

Au and Ag nanoshells are investigated as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). We find that SERS enhancements on nanoshell films are dramatically different from those observed on colloidal aggregates, specifically that the Raman enhancement follows the plasmon resonance of the individual nanoparticles. Comparative finite difference time domain calculations of fields at the surface of smooth and roughened nanoshells reveal that surface roughness contributes only slightly to the total enhancement. SERS enhancements as large as 2.5 × 1010 on Ag nanoshell films for the nonresonant molecule p-mercaptoaniline are measured. PMID:15608058

Amending the Structure of Renewable Carbon from Biorefinery Waste-Streams for Energy Storage Applications.

PubMed

Ho, Hoi Chun; Goswami, Monojoy; Chen, Jihua; Keum, Jong K; Naskar, Amit K

2018-05-29

Biorefineries produce impure sugar waste streams that are being underutilized. By converting this waste to a profitable by-product, biorefineries could be safeguarded against low oil prices. We demonstrate controlled production of useful carbon materials from the waste concentrate via hydrothermal synthesis and carbonization. We devise a pathway to producing tunable, porous spherical carbon materials by modeling the gross structure formation and developing an understanding of the pore formation mechanism utilizing simple reaction principles. Compared to a simple hydrothermal synthesis from sugar concentrate, emulsion-based synthesis results in hollow spheres with abundant microporosity. In contrast, conventional hydrothermal synthesis produces solid beads with micro and mesoporosity. All the carbonaceous materials show promise in energy storage application. Using our reaction pathway, perfect hollow activated carbon spheres can be produced from waste sugar in liquid effluence of biomass steam pretreatment units. The renewable carbon product demonstrated a desirable surface area of 872 m 2 /g and capacitance of up to 109 F/g when made into an electric double layer supercapacitor. The capacitor exhibited nearly ideal capacitive behavior with 90.5% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles.

In situ electrochemical-electron spin resonance investigations of multi-electron redox reaction for organic radical cathodes

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

Huang, Qian; Walter, Eric D.; Cosimbescu, Lelia

2016-02-29

Organic radical batteries (ORBs) bearing robust radical polymers as energy storage species, are emerging promisingly with durable high energy and power characteristics by unique tunable redox properties. Here we report the development and application of in situ electrochemical-electron spin resonance (ESR) methodologies to identify the charge transfer mechanism of Poly(2,2,6,6- tetramethylpiperidinyloxy-4-yl methacrylate) (PTMA) based organic radical composite cathodes in the charge-discharge process of lithium half cells. The in situ experiments allow each electrochemical state to be associated with the chemical state (or environment) of the radical species upon the cell cycling. In situ ESR spectra of the composite cathode demonstratemore » a two-electron redox reaction of PTMA. Moreover, two different local environments of radical species are found in the composite electrode that includes both concentrated and isolated radicals. These two types of radicals show similarities during the redox reaction process while behave quite differently in the non-faradic reaction of ion sorption/desorption on the electrode surface.« less

Adsorption and Transport of Methane Molecules through One-Dimensional Channels in Dipeptide-Based Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradiso, Daniele; Perelli Cippo, Enrico; Gorini, Giuseppe; Rossi, Giorgio; Larese, John Z.

The development of new materials for use in energy and environmental applications is of great interest, in particular in the areas of gas separation and carbon capture, where molecular transport plays a significant role. The dipeptides are organic molecules that offer an attractive possibility in such areas, because they form open hexagonal crystalline structures (space group P61) with quasi one-dimensional channels of tunable pore diameters in the range 3-6 Å. These molecular crystals exhibit selective adsorption, as well as, water and gas transport properties: these are believed to result from collective vibrations of the crystal structure that are coupled to the motions of the guest molecules within the channels. Current studies focus on characterizing the system methane and L-Isoleucyl-L-Valine (IV): this was initially done with high-resolution adsorption isotherms; then, high-resolution Inelastic Neutron Scattering measurements at the Spallation Neutron Source (BASIS spectrometer) revealed clear rotational tunneling peaks, offering details to unravel the potential energy surface of the system, as well as, evidences that channels flexibility and dynamical motion of the molecules have influence on the dipeptides adsorption properties.

Size tunable gold nanorods evenly distributed in the channels of mesoporous silica.

PubMed

Li, Zhi; Kübel, Christian; Pârvulescu, Vasile I; Richards, Ryan

2008-06-01

Uniformly distributed gold nanorods in mesoporous silica were synthesized in situ by performing a seed-mediated growth process in the channels of SBA-15 which functions as a hard-template to confine the diameter of gold nanorods. By changing the amount of gold precursor, gold nanorods were prepared with a fixed diameter (6-7 nm) and tunable aspect ratios from 3 to 30. Transmission electron microscope and electron tomography were utilized to visualize the gold nanorods supported on one piece of SBA-15 segment and showed a fairly uniform 3-dimensional distribution of gold nanorods within the SBA-15 channels. The longitudinal plasmon resonances of the gold nanorods/SBA-15 composites analyzed by diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectra were found to be tunable depending on the length of gold nanorods. No significant decrease in surface area and/or pore size of the composite was found after growth, indicating the growth process did not disrupt the open mesoporous structure of SBA-15. The combination of the tunable size of the nanorods and their 3-dimensional distribution within the open supporting matrix makes the gold nanorods/SBA-15 composites interesting candidates to systematically study the influence of the aspect ratio of gold nanorods on their properties and potential applications, i.e., catalyst, optical polarizer, and ultrasensitive medical imaging technique.

A photo-excited broadband to dual-band tunable terahertz prefect metamaterial polarization converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jianfeng; Yang, Yang; Li, Shufang

2018-04-01

A new and simple design of photo-excited broadband to dual-band tunable terahertz (THz) metamaterial cross polarization converter is proposed in this paper. The tunable converter is a sandwich structure with the center-cut cross-shaped metallic patterned structure as a resonator, the middle dielectric layer as a spacer and the bottom metallic film as the ground. The conductivity of the photoconductive semiconductor (Silicon) filled in the gap of the cross-shaped metallic resonator can be tuned by the incident pump power, leading to an easy modulation of the electromagnetic response of the proposed converter. The results show that the proposed cross-polarization converter can be tuned from a broadband with polarization conversion ratio (PCR) beyond 95% (1.86-2.94 THz) to dual frequency bands (fl = 1 . 46 THz &fh = 2 . 9 THz). The conversion peaks can reach 99.9% for the broadband and, 99.5% (fl) and 99.7% (fh) for the dual-band, respectively. Most importantly, numerical simulations demonstrate that the broadband/dual-band polarization conversion mechanism of the converter originates from the localized surface plasmon modes, which make the design simple and different from previous designs. With these good features, the proposed broadband to dual-band tunable polarization converter is expected to be used in widespread applications.

Pressure sensitive microparticle adhesion through biomimicry of the pollen-stigma interaction.

PubMed

Lin, Haisheng; Qu, Zihao; Meredith, J Carson

2016-03-21

Many soft biomimetic synthetic adhesives, optimized to support macroscopic masses (∼kg), have been inspired by geckos, insects and other animals. Far less work has investigated bioinspired adhesion that is tuned to micro- and nano-scale sizes and forces. However, such adhesive forces are extremely important in the adhesion of micro- and nanoparticles to surfaces, relevant to a wide range of industrial and biological systems. Pollens, whose adhesion is critical to plant reproduction, are an evolutionary-optimized system for biomimicry to engineer tunable adhesion between particles and micro-patterned soft matter surfaces. In addition, the adhesion of pollen particles is relevant to topics as varied as pollinator ecology, transport of allergens, and atmospheric phenomena. We report the first observation of structurally-derived pressure-sensitive adhesion of a microparticle by using the sunflower pollen and stigma surfaces as a model. This strong, pressure-sensitive adhesion results from interlocking between the pollen's conical spines and the stigma's receptive papillae. Inspired by this behavior, we fabricated synthetic polymeric patterned surfaces that mimic the stigma surface's receptivity to pollen. These soft mimics allow the magnitude of the pressure-sensitive response to be tuned by adjusting the size and spacing of surface features. These results provide an important new insight for soft material adhesion based on bio-inspired principles, namely that ornamented microparticles and micro-patterned surfaces can be designed with complementarity that enable a tunable, pressure-sensitive adhesion on the microparticle size and length scale.

Tunable High-Intensity Electron Bunch Train Production Based on Nonlinear Longitudinal Space Charge Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhen; Yan, Lixin; Du, Yingchao; Zhou, Zheng; Su, Xiaolu; Zheng, Lianmin; Wang, Dong; Tian, Qili; Wang, Wei; Shi, Jiaru; Chen, Huaibi; Huang, Wenhui; Gai, Wei; Tang, Chuanxiang

2016-05-01

High-intensity trains of electron bunches with tunable picosecond spacing are produced and measured experimentally with the goal of generating terahertz (THz) radiation. By imposing an initial density modulation on a relativistic electron beam and controlling the charge density over the beam propagation, density spikes of several-hundred-ampere peak current in the temporal profile, which are several times higher than the initial amplitudes, have been observed for the first time. We also demonstrate that the periodic spacing of the bunch train can be varied continuously either by tuning launching phase of a radio-frequency gun or by tuning the compression of a downstream magnetic chicane. Narrow-band coherent THz radiation from the bunch train was also measured with μ J -level energies and tunable central frequency of the spectrum in the range of ˜0.5 to 1.6 THz. Our results pave the way towards generating mJ-level narrow-band coherent THz radiation and driving high-gradient wakefield-based acceleration.