Quasi-optical multiplexer based on reflecting diffraction grating

The article presents results of theoretical and experimental investigation of quasioptical multiplexer based on reflecting diffraction grating. Diffraction losses caused by reflection into mirror harmonic, and by angle divergence of wave beams are calculated. In an experimental multiplexer, wave beams with the frequencies 70 GHz and 79 GHz were mixed with power losses less than 1%.     

Effect of photoaligning azo dye structure on liquid crystal anchoring energy

A method of controlling anchoring energy of surface interaction of liquid crystal photoaligning substances is considered to enhance the liquid crystal display performances. An important parameter of the dye's molecular structure that determines the ratio of polar and azimuthal anchoring energy is the ability to form dimers. The values of dimerization thermodynamic potentials have been found. The probability of the formation of dye molecules dimers is evaluated. The bonds conjugation transfer via intermolecular hydrogen bond is revealed, and anisotropy of polarizability of the hydrogen bond is evaluated. The effect of dimerization on polar and azimuthal anchoring energy of liquid crystal — azo dye system — is shown.     

Advanced Characterization and Optimization of NiOx:Cu-SAM Hole-Transporting Bi-Layer for 23.4% Efficient Monolithic Cu(In,Ga)Se2-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells

The performance of five hole-transporting layers (HTLs) is investigated in both single-junction perovskite and Cu(In, Ga)Se₂ (CIGSe)-perovskite tandem solar cells: nickel oxide (NiO_x,), copper-doped nickel oxide (NiO_x:Cu), NiO_x+SAM, NiO_x:Cu+SAM, and SAM, where SAM is the [2-(3,-6Dimethoxy-9H-carbazol-9yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (MeO-2PACz) self-assembled monolayer. The performance of the devices is correlated to the charge-carrier dynamics at the HTL/perovskite interface and the limiting factors of these HTLs are analyzed by performing time-resolved and absolute photoluminescence ((Tr)PL), transient surface photovoltage (tr-SPV), and X-ray/UV photoemission spectroscopy (XPS/UPS) measurements on indium tin oxide (ITO)/HTL/perovskite and CIGSe/HTL/perovskite stacks. A high quasi-Fermi level splitting to open-circuit (QFLS-V_oc) deficit is detected for the NiO_x-based devices, attributed to electron trapping and poor hole extraction at the NiO_x-perovskite interface and a low carrier effective lifetime in the bulk of the perovskite. Simultaneously, doping the NiO_x with 2% Cu and passivating its surface with MeO-2PACz suppresses the electron trapping, enhances the holes extraction, reduces the non-radiative interfacial recombination, and improves the band alignment. Due to this superior interfacial charge-carrier dynamics, NiO_x:Cu+SAM is found to be the most suitable HTL for the monolithic CIGSe-perovskite tandem devices, enabling a power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.4%, V_oc of 1.72V, and a fill factor (FF) of 71%, while the remaining four HTLs suffer from prominent V_oc and FF losses.     

Solving the dynamic traveling salesman game problem

A game problem of the successive capture of a team of evaders by a single pursuer under conditions of “simple motions” of the players is analyzed. The performance criterion is the total time all the evaders are captured. It is assumed that the pursuer is guided by the parallel pursuit law. In such a case, the optimal response of the evaders is the straightforward motion with maximum speed. The original infinite-dimensional problem can therefore be reduced to two finite-dimensional problems.     

Iron Mobilization from Ferritin in Yeast Cell Lysate and Physiological Implications

Most in vitro iron mobilization studies from ferritin have been performed in aqueous buffered solutions using a variety of reducing substances. The kinetics of iron mobilization from ferritin in a medium that resembles the complex milieu of cells could dramatically differ from those in aqueous solutions, and to our knowledge, no such studies have been performed. Here, we have studied the kinetics of iron release from ferritin in fresh yeast cell lysates and examined the effect of cellular metabolites on this process. Our results show that iron release from ferritin in buffer is extremely slow compared to cell lysate under identical experimental conditions, suggesting that certain cellular metabolites present in yeast cell lysate facilitate the reductive release of ferric iron from the ferritin core. Using filtration membranes with different molecular weight cut-offs (3, 10, 30, 50, and 100 kDa), we demonstrate that a cellular component >50 kDa is implicated in the reductive release of iron. When the cell lysate was washed three times with buffer, or when NADPH was omitted from the solution, a dramatic decrease in iron mobilization rates was observed. The addition of physiological concentrations of free flavins, such as FMN, FAD, and riboflavin showed about a two-fold increase in the amount of released iron. Notably, all iron release kinetics occurred while the solution oxygen level was still high. Altogether, our results indicate that in addition to ferritin proteolysis, there exists an auxiliary iron reductive mechanism that involves long-range electron transfer reactions facilitated by the ferritin shell. The physiological implications of such iron reductive mechanisms are discussed.     

Catastrophic Oxidation of Copper: A Brief Review

A brief review of the current understanding of copper accelerated oxidation in the presence of low-melting oxides (Bi₂O₃, MoO₃, and V₂O₅) is given. Special attention is paid to the kinetics, thermodynamics, and mechanisms of accelerated oxidation of copper. The mechanisms of two stages (fast and superfast) of the copper accelerated oxidation are considered. It is shown that the fast oxidation of copper occurs by a diffusion mechanism. Oxygen diffusion along the liquid channels in the oxide scale is the rate-limiting step in the overall mechanism. The superfast oxidation of copper occurs by a fluxing mechanism. Realization of the particular mechanism depends on the mass ratio of low-melting oxide to the metal. The mass ratios of low-melting oxide to the metal and the oxygen partial pressures for superfast oxidation of copper are established. A model of the fast oxidation of copper is discussed.     

On the problem of the superconducting transition temperature

A new equation is proposed to calculate the superconducting transition temperature using the dependences obtained earlier for the defect formation energy and based on relaxed velocities and frequencies of elastic vibrations. The kinetic energy of elastic waves is shown to be related to ionization potentials I of simple substance atoms. The concept of an electron??phonon interaction is used to propose a possible superconductivity mechanism, which is called endoelectron emission. The values of T _c are estimated for substances subjected to various types of a physical action (pressure, deformation, melt quenching, thin films). The calculated results agree satisfactorily with experimental data. The maximum values of T _c are predicted using the calculation results.     

Phenomena at three-phase electroslag remelting

The electroslag remelting (ESR) process is widely used to produce high-quality ingots and billets for high-alloyed steels and alloys.Both the single-phase and three-phase alternating current diagram with bifilar and monofilar connection are in use for heavy ingot manufacturing.The numerical simulation of the three-phase bifilar circuit for the 120 t three-phase bifilar six-electrode ESR furnace at different variants of electric connection was presented and discussed.At the bifilar diagram of power supply,the geometrical location of electrodes in a mould holds critical importance for performances:the close location of bifilar pair electrodes provides the highest heat productivity,but the equidistant location of electrodes gives a much more uniform heat distribution.The monofilar mulit-electrode diagram of three-phase connection without phase shift shows the most uniform distribution of potential and heat generation as well as a favorable magnetic field that makes this kind the most promising for providing a high quality of heavy ingots.