Inter-Sample and Intra-Sample Variability in Electronic Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide

While the challenges associated with the stability of metal halide perovskites are well known and intensely studied, variability in electronic properties represents an equally significant, yet seldom studied, challenge that could potentially slow or inhibit the commercial viability of these systems. In this work, the contactless characterization technique time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) is used to quantify the variability in electronic properties of the prototypical perovskite, methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) both between different samples, and at different locations within the same sample. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a quasi-automated image-analysis strategy, it is possible to evaluate the metrics of heterogeneity in surface microstructure and correlate them with the electronic properties as obtained by TRMC. Substantial intra-sample and inter-sample variation is observed in the mobility-yield product in samples prepared following differing protocols, and in samples prepared following identical protocols.     

TRFES结合化学计量学在山茶油产地识别中的应用研究

本文采用时间分辨荧光发射谱(TRFES)结合化学计量学建立了一种准确、快速的山茶油产地识别方法。收集浙江、江西和湖南的山茶油样品共180个,采集它们的TRFES并从稳态荧光发射和荧光衰减维度对荧光信号的特点进行了对比;利用平行因子分析(PARAFAC)对训练集样品数据进行降维和特征优化;最终选取了两个因子的因子得分作为人工神经网络(ANN)的输入并建立山茶油产地识别模型。结果表明,相较于稳态荧光发射,荧光衰减受荧光分子浓度影响较小。因此TRFES被认为指纹性极强,有利于山茶油产地识别。山茶油产地识别模型的验证相关系数为98.7%,预测相关系数为96.1%,表明该模型稳健、准确,适合山茶油产地识别。最终表明,TRFES结合化学计量学分析可以完成对山茶油产地的准确、快速识别。     

Investigation on the flow characteristics of a novel multi-blade combined agitator by time-resolved particle image velocimetry and large eddy simulation

We investigated the flow characteristics in a tank of H/T = 1.5 stirred by a novel multi-blade combined agitator (MBC) by using time-resolved particle image velocimetry and large eddy simulation approach. The predictions were assessed by Y⁺ values, Taylor microscale and power spectrum analysis, as well as experimental validation of velocity distributions. Results demonstrate that the MBC agitator can load the energy into the system effectively with a power number of 12.5 in a turbulent regime, resulting in improved axial and radial mass exchange. The upper and lower short blades produce an axial down-flow in the top half and an axial up-flow in the bottom half, respectively. Part of axial flows change to radial flows by the radial pumping of the long blades, meanwhile, the impingement of two axial flows improves the axial mass exchange. These flow characteristics lead to an obvious improvement in the turbulent kinetic energy distribution uniformity with higher turbulent intensity.     

Detection of K in soil using time-resolved laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy based on convolutional neural networks

One of the technical bottlenecks of traditional laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is the difficulty in quantitative detection caused by the matrix effect. To troubleshoot this problem, this paper investigated a combination of time-resolved LIBS and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to improve K determination in soil. The time-resolved LIBS contained the information of both wavelength and time dimension. The spectra of wavelength dimension showed the characteristic emission lines of elements, and those of time dimension presented the plasma decay trend. The one-dimensional data of LIBS intensity from the emission line at 766.49 nm were extracted and correlated with the K concentration, showing a poor correlation of R²_c=0.0967, which is caused by the matrix effect of heterogeneous soil. For the wavelength dimension, the two-dimensional data of traditional integrated LIBS were extracted and analyzed by an artificial neural network (ANN), showing R²_v=0.6318 and the root mean square error of validation (RMSEV)=0.6234. For the time dimension, the two-dimensional data of time-decay LIBS were extracted and analyzed by ANN, showing R²_v=0.7366 and RMSEV=0.7855. These higher determination coefficients reveal that both the non-K emission lines of wavelength dimension and the spectral decay of time dimension could assist in quantitative detection of K. However, due to limited calibration samples, the two-dimensional models presented over-fitting. The three-dimensional data of time-resolved LIBS were analyzed by CNNs, which extracted and integrated the information of both the wavelength and time dimension, showing the R²_v=0.9968 and RMSEV=0.0785. CNN analysis of time-resolved LIBS is capable of improving the determination of K in soil.     

The Ultrafast Laser Pump-Probe Technique for Thermal Characterization of Materials With Micro/Nanostructures

Advances in nano-electronics, nano-optics, energy harvesting materials, and nanoparticle-based photothermal therapies are motivating studies of the thermal properties of micro/nanostructures. Thus, the demands for highly sensitive and accurate thermal measurement techniques are encouraged for both fundamental studies and industrial applications. The time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) method, based on an ultrafast pump-probe technique, enables high-fidelity thermal measurements at the micro/nanoscale and the observation of dynamic processes with sub-picosecond time resolution. TDTR is an optical technique, capable of measuring the thermal properties of micro/nanostructures, including thermal conductivity and interfacial thermal conductance of bulk substrates, thin films, and nanoparticles, among others. Here we review some recent developments in the state-of-the-art ultrafast pump-probe method applied to study the thermal and magnetic properties of materials at the micro- and nanometer scales. We also discuss in detail improvements to this technique by presenting several example extensions to its capabilities.     

Sub-microsecond X-ray crystallography: techniques,challenges, and applications for materials science

Dynamics of crystals is a subject of recent interest in solid-state physics and a challenge for modern X-ray crystallography. Time-dependent response of solids to an external perturbation on atomic and microstructural length scales is the key to understanding many physical properties. This paper reviews the challenges and opportunities for probing of sub-micro-, micro-, and millisecond dynamics of solids using the methods of X-ray crystallography. It starts with an overview of recent time-resolved X-ray diffraction techniques. It then focuses on the processes that are important for understanding functional materials: dynamics of ferroelectric and ferroelastic domain patterns, texture in piezoelectric ceramics, mechanical resonances in solids, and dynamics of structural disorder. Knowledge available from macroscopic experiments is summarized, and opportunities for X-ray crystallography to resolve existing controversies are presented. This paper suggests the possible synergy of macroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experimental techniques.     

Electrical and optical measurements in the early hydrogen discharge of GLAST-Ⅲ

This work presents the first electrical and optical measurements of the initial phase of hydrogen discharge in the upgraded spherical tokamak GLAST-III, initiated with electron cyclotron heating(ECH). Diagnostic measurements provide insights into expected and unexpected physics issues related to the initial phase of discharge. A triple Langmuir probe(TLP) has been developed to measure time series of the floating potential, plasma electron temperature and number density over the entire discharge, allowing monitoring of the two phases of the discharge: the ECH pre-ionization phase following by the plasma current formation phase. A TLP has the ability to give time-resolved measurements of the floating potential(V_(float)), electron temperature(T_e) and ion saturation current(I_(sat)∝n_e√kT_e).sat e eThe evolution of the ECH-assisted pre-ionization and subsequent plasma current phases in one shot are well envisioned by the probe. Intense fluctuations in the plasma current phase advocate for efficient equilibrium and feedback control systems. Moreover, the emergence of some strong impurity lines in the emission spectrum, even after only a few shots, suggests a crucial need for improvements in the base vacuum level. A noticeable change in the shape of the temporal profiles of the floating potential, electron temperature, ion saturation current(I_(sat)) and light emission has been observed with changing hydrogen fill pressure and vertical magnetic field.     

Spectroscopic Studies of Model Photo-Receptors: Validation of a Nanosecond Time-Resolved Micro-Spectrophotometer Design Using Photoactive Yellow Protein and α-Phycoerythrocyanin

Time-resolved spectroscopic experiments have been performed with protein in solution and in crystalline form using a newly designed microspectrophotometer. The time-resolution of these experiments can be as good as two nanoseconds (ns), which is the minimal response time of the image intensifier used. With the current setup, the effective time-resolution is about seven ns, determined mainly by the pulse duration of the nanosecond laser. The amount of protein required is small, on the order of 100 nanograms. Bleaching, which is an undesirable effect common to photoreceptor proteins, is minimized by using a millisecond shutter to avoid extensive exposure to the probing light. We investigate two model photoreceptors, photoactive yellow protein (PYP), and α-phycoerythrocyanin (α-PEC), on different time scales and at different temperatures. Relaxation times obtained from kinetic time-series of difference absorption spectra collected from PYP are consistent with previous results. The comparison with these results validates the capability of this spectrophotometer to deliver high quality time-resolved absorption spectra.     

Picosecond optical studies of 2D electron - 2D phonon dynamics

We describe recent developments in time-resolved optical measurements of electron-phonon interactions in quantum wells which reveal the fundamental two-dimensional properties of the process. Picosecond photoluminescence experiments show enhanced energy relaxation in narrow quantum wells. Time-resolved Raman measurements of inter- and intra-subband relaxation of electrons reveal the participation of confined optical phonons; in narrow quantum wells there is strong coupling to interface phonons.     

Time-resolved tympanal mechanics of the locust

A salient characteristic of most auditory systems is their capacity to analyse the frequency of sound. Little is known about how such analysis is performed across the diversity of auditory systems found in animals, and especially in insects. In locusts, frequency analysis is primarily mechanical, based on vibrational waves travelling across the tympanal membrane. Different acoustic frequencies generate travelling waves that direct vibrations to distinct tympanal locations, where distinct groups of correspondingly tuned mechanosensory neurons attach. Measuring the mechanical tympanal response, for the first time, to acoustic impulses in the time domain, nanometre-range vibrational waves are characterized with high spatial and temporal resolutions. Conventional Fourier analysis is also used to characterize the response in the frequency domain. Altogether these results show that travelling waves originate from a particular tympanal location and travel across the membrane to generate oscillations in the exact region where mechanosensory neurons attach. Notably, travelling waves are unidirectional; no strong back reflection or wave resonance could be observed across the membrane. These results constitute a key step in understanding tympanal mechanics in general, and in insects in particular, but also in our knowledge of the vibrational behaviour of anisotropic media.