Thermal modulation voltammetry with laser heating at an aqueous|nitrobenzene solution microinterface: determination of the standard entropy changes of transfer for tetraalkylammonium ions

Thermal modulation voltammetry (TMV) with laser heating was successfully performed at an aqueous|nitrobenzene (NB) solution microinterface, by taking advantage of the fact that laser light with a wavelength of 325.0 nm is optically transparent to the aqueous solution but opaque to the NB solution. When the laser beam impinges upon the interface from the aqueous solution side, a temperature is raised around the interface through the thermal diffusion subsequent to the light-to-heat conversion following the optical absorption by the NB solution near the interface. Based on such a principle, we achieved a fluctuating temperature perturbation around the interface for TMV by periodically irradiating the interface with the laser beam. On the other hand, the fluctuating temperature perturbation has influence on currents for transfer of an ion across the interface to produce fluctuating currents synchronized with the perturbation through temperature coefficients of several variables concerning the transfer, such as the standard transfer potential and the diffusion coefficient of the ion. Consequently, TMV has the possibility of providing information about the standard entropy change of transfer corresponding to a temperature coefficient of the standard transfer potential and a temperature coefficient of the diffusion coefficient. In this work, the aqueous|NB solution interface of 30 microm in diameter was irradiated with the laser beam at 10 Hz, and the currents synchronized with the periodical irradiation were recorded as a function of the potential difference across the interface in order to construct a TM voltammogram. TM voltammograms were measured for transfer of tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrapropylammonium, and tetra-n-butylammonium ions from the aqueous solution to the NB solution, and the standard entropy change of transfer was determined for each ion, according to an analytical procedure based on a mathematical expression of the TM voltammogram. Comparison of the values obtained in this work with the literature values has proved that TMV with laser heating is available for the determination of the standard entropy change of transfer for an ion.     

Polarization-dependent Talbot effect

The term "polarization-dependent Talbot effect" means that the Talbot self-imaging intensity of a high-density grating is different for TE and TM polarization modes. Numerical simulations with the finite-difference time-domain method show that the polarization dependence of the Talbot images is obvious for gratings with period d between 2 lambda and 3 lambda. Such a polarization-dependent difference for TE and TM polarization of a high-density grating of 630 lines/mm (corresponding to d/lambda=2.5) is verified through experiments with the scanning near-field optical microscopy technique, in which a He-Ne laser is used as its polarization is changed from the TE mode to the TM mode. The polarization-dependent Talbot effect should help us to understand more clearly the diffraction behavior of a high-density grating in nano-optics and contribute to wide application of the Talbot effect.     

Nonlinear analysis of a photonic crystal laser

An approximate nonlinear analysis of light generation in two-dimensional square- and triangular-lattice photonic crystal lasers including gain saturation effects is presented for the TE modes. This model extends earlier studies which took into account only TM modes. Our approach is based on coupled mode theory. With the help of an energy theorem and a threshold field approximation an approximate formula relating the small signal gain required to obtain a given output power to the structure parameters has been obtained. It has been used to calculate laser characteristics revealing an optimum coupling strength for which laser structure achieves maximum power efficiency.     

Photosensitivity in silica-based waveguides deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition

By using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we evaluated photosensitivity in silica-based waveguides deposited by atmospheric pressure vapor deposition. Our results show that photosensitivity with ArF excimer laser irradiation was ten times greater than photosensitivity with KrF excimer laser irradiation. ArF excimer laser irradiation induced a refractive-index change of greater than 2 x 10(-3) at 1.55 mum and a birefringence between TE and TM modes of less than 6 x 10(-5). It has also been determined that the photoinduced absorption change of 90 dB/mm at 210 nm cannot account for a refractive-index change greater than 10(-3).     

Improved performance of polarization-stable VCSELs by monolithic sub-wavelength gratings produced by soft nano-imprint lithography

We present a novel method for fabricating polarization-stable oxide-confined single-mode GaAs based vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting at 850 nm using a new soft-lithography nano-imprint technique. A monolithic surface grating is etched in the output mirror of the laser cavity using a directly imprinted silica-based sol-gel imprint resist as an etch mask. The opto-electronic performance of these devices is compared to VCSELs fabricated by state-of-the-art electron-beam lithography. The lasers made using the soft nano-imprint technique show single-mode TM lasing at a threshold and laser slope similar to that of devices made by e-beam lithography. The soft nano-imprint technique also enables the fabrication of gratings with sub-wavelength pitch, which avoids diffraction losses in the laser cavity. The resulting single-mode VCSEL devices exhibit 29% enhanced efficiency compared to devices equipped with diffractive gratings.     

Spatially resolved plasmonically enhanced photocurrent from Au nanoparticles on a Si nanowire

Semiconducting nanowires have been demonstrated as promising light-harvesting units with enhanced absorption compared to bulk films of equivalent volume. However, for small diameter nanowires, the ultrahigh aspect ratio constrains the absorption to be polarization selective by responding primarily to the transverse magnetic (TM) light. While this effect is useful for polarization-sensitive optoelectronic devices, practical light-harvesting applications demand efficient light absorption in both TM and transverse electric (TE) light. In this study, we engineer the polarization sensitivity and the charge carrier generation in a 50 nm Si nanowire by decorating the surface with plasmonic Au nanoparticles. Using scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) with a tunable wavelength laser, we spatially and spectrally resolve the local enhancement in the TE photocurrent resulting from the plasmonic near-field response of individual nanoparticles and the broad-band enhancement due to surface-enhanced absorption. These results provide guidance to the development and the optimization of nanowire-nanoparticle light-harvesting systems.     

Passively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 waveguide laser using graphene as a saturable absorber

We report on passively Q-switched lasers in femtosecond laser written waveguide in Nd:YVO₄ crystal. Using graphene as a saturable absorber, passively Q-switched waveguide laser operations are achieved along both TE and TM polarizations with single modal profiles. Furthermore, all-angle linear light pump was utilized to investigate the thorough information of the polarization effects of the laser, showing that the optimum polarization for laser generation is TE. The maximum average output power is estimated to be 129 mW with 12.2% slope efficiency, corresponding to single-pulse energy of 8.1 nJ, pulse duration of 25.0 ns and repetition rate of 16.3 MHz.     

A comparative analysis of TE and TM guided modes in Tidiffused Er:LiNbO3 waveguide lasers

Abstract

A detailed comparative analysis of TE and TM guided-modes in Z-cut Ti-diffused Er:LiNbO₃ strip waveguide lasers has been performed at laser emission wavelengths 1532, 1563, 1576 nm and pump wavelengths 1480 and 980 nm by the variational method. First, the mode size and corresponding effective refractive index at these five wavelengths as a function of initial Ti-strip width W, diffusion temperatures T, intial Ti-strip thickness H and diffusion time t were calcualted for several lower-order TE and TM modes; their characteristics and the single mode condition were discussed comparatively. Then, the plots of effective pump area and coupling efficiency between the laser and the pump modes under different pump and output mode polarizations were analysed. Finally, the coupling loss of a joint between the waveguide and a fibre in terms of these diffusion parameters were also calculated at these wavelengths. Numerical results are in good agreement with previously published experimental data.     

Short range wake potentials of FLASH resistive tapered collimator and European XFEL undulator intersection

The longitudinally dispersion free hybrid TE/TM numerical scheme is applied for the calculation of short range longitudinal and transverse wake potentials for the FLASH free electron laser facility resistive tapered collimator and European XFEL undulator intersection. All the investigated structures have cylindrical symmetry. The contributions of transitive resistive wakes in loss and kick factors are evaluated. The results are confirmed by the comparison with analytical approximations and other numerical codes.     

Measuring evaporation rates of laser-trapped droplets by use of fluorescent morphology-dependent resonances

Morphology-dependent resonances (MDRs) are used to measure accurately the evaporation rates of laser-trapped 1- to 2-mum droplets of ethylene glycol. Droplets containing 3 x 10(-5) M Rhodamine-590 laser dye are optically trapped in a 20-mum hollow fiber by two counterpropagating 150-mW, 800-nm laser beams. A weaker 532-nm laser excites the dye, and fluorescence emission is observed near 560 nm as the droplet evaporates. A complete series of first-order TE and TM MDRs dominates the fluorescent output. MDR mode identification sizes the droplets and provides accurate evaporation rates. We verify the automated MDR mode identification by counting fringes in a videotape of the experiment. The longitudinal spring constant of the trap, measured by analysis of the videotaped motion of droplets perturbed from the trap center, provides independent verification of the laser's intensity within the trap.     

Internal energy of ions generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization

To provide an objective measure of the correlation between the internal energy content of ions generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and the matrix properties, a series of well-characterized benzyl-substituted benzylpyridinium salts were used as thermometer molecules (TMs). To determine the internal energy variations of analyte ions, the survival yields of TM molecular ions were measured in three different matrixes, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA), 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (sinapinic acid, SA), and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). Statistical analysis of extensive survival yield data indicated that there were discernible differences among the studied matrixes. The experimental survival yields of the TM ions were used to calculate the unimolecular decomposition rate coefficient. Corresponding theoretical reaction rate coefficients were calculated based on the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory for different internal energies of the TMs. The internal energies of the ions were obtained by projecting the experimental rate coefficient values onto the theoretical curves obtained by the RRKM calculations. Molecular ions of the analytes showed decreasing survival yields and consequently increasing internal energies in the three matrixes in the following order: CHCA, SA, and DHB with "cold", "intermediate", and "hot" characteristics, respectively. Qualitatively, this could be interpreted as a significant departure from earlier observations suggesting an opposite trend. The classification as hot and cold matrixes should be further qualified by accounting for the influence of laser pulse energy and the nature of the analyte. Higher laser pulse energy led to an elevated level of energy transferred to the analyte, which in turn resulted in a diminished survival yield of the analyte molecular ion. It is quite possible that the assignment of hot and cold reverses as the analyte or the laser energy changes. These findings can help predict the outcome of postsource decay experiments and clarify the concept of hot and cold matrixes in MALDI mass spectrometry.     

Birefringent beam splitter for intracavity mode selection in high-power multimirror lasers

The design and application of an uncoated sapphire plate that acts as both the beam splitter and the output coupler of an interferometric laser resonator are described. Output coupling is provided at one of the surfaces by p-polarized (TM) reflection near the Brewster angle, and axial-mode selection is enforced at the other surface by s-polarized (TE) reflection at the same angle of incidence. The design is discussed in the context of the phase-locked, rf linac free-electron laser, in which the coupling of adjacent optical pulses at the beam splitter induces temporal phase coherence among all the pulses in the output beam; this coherence is manifested in the frequency domain as a reduction in the number of axial modes per rf frequency interval. The Michelson and Fox-Smith resonator designs are compared, and applications to cavity dumping are discussed.     

Identifying the Key Role of Pyridinic‐N–Co Bonding in Synergistic Electrocatalysis for Reversible ORR/OER

For many regenerative electrochemical energy‐conversion systems, hybrid electrocatalysts comprising transition metal (TM) oxides and heteroatom‐doped (e.g., nitrogen‐doped) carbonaceous materials are promising bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction/oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts, whose enhanced electrocatalytic activities are attributed to the synergistic effect originated from the TM–N–C active sites. However, it is still ambiguous which configuration of nitrogen dopants, either pyridinic or pyrrolic N, when bonded to the TM in oxides, predominately contributes to the synergistic effect. Herein, an innovative strategy based on laser irradiation is described to controllably tune the relative concentrations of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen dopants in the hybrid catalyst, i.e., NiCo₂O₄ NPs/N‐doped mesoporous graphene. Comparative studies reveal the dominant role of pyridinic‐N? Co bonding, instead of pyrrolic‐N bonding, in synergistically promoting reversible oxygen electrocatalysis. Moreover, density functional theory calculations provide deep insights into the corresponding synergistic mechanism. The optimized hybrid, NiCo/NLG‐270, manifests outstanding reversible oxygen electrocatalytic activities, leading to an overpotential different ΔE among the lowest value for highly efficient bifunctional catalysts. In a practical reversible Zn–air battery, NiCo/NLG‐270 exhibits superior charge/discharge performance and long‐term durability compared to the noble metal electrocatalysts.     

Spectroscopic studies on DLC/TM (Cr,Ag, Ti,Ni) multilayers

The hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with transition metal (TM = Cr, Ag, Ti, Ni) interlayer (bilayer and multilayer) were deposited on to stainless steel and silicon substrates using pulsed laser deposition technique. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) confirmed that the films were hydrogen free. Incorporation of chromium inter layer reduced the stress value by about 3 GPa as determined by micro Raman spectroscopy. Incorporation of the TM inter layer enhanced the photoluminescence (PL) intensity as compared to the monolithic DLC films. The optical band gap determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry for DLC/TM films was found to be in the range of 1.56–1.67 eV.     

Critical Angles for Reflectivity at an Isotropic-anisotropic Boundary

Abstract

The angular dependent reflectivities, and in particular sharp, critical, edges in these have been analysed for the boundary between an isotropic and a uniaxial medium. For the general uniaxial case, it is shown that for measured reflectivities of the type transverse magnetic (TM) incident to TM reflected or transverse electric (TE) incident to TE reflected there is only one sharp critical angle, the other being rounded due to TM to TE conversion. On the other hand if the TM to TE conversion reflectivity is measured (or TE to TM) then a sharp cusp occurs at the otherwise rounded critical edge. This thereby allows, from some very simple reflectivity measurements the determination of the optical tensor for the anisotropic medium. A full analytic treatment of this behaviour is presented together with numerical evaluations of the electromagnetic field distributions which illustrate how this cusp arises. The possible application of the use of this TE to TM conversion cusp measurement in the case of obliquely oriented liquid crystals is also discussed.     

Polarisation behaviour of diode lasers with frequency selective feedback

The paper reviews recent results obtained with diode lasers used in external hybrid cavities with frequency selective feedback. Such cavities attract continuing interest for several reasons. They generate a tunable single laser mode with very low linewidths (usually a few tens of kilohertz). Very wide discrete tunable ranges over 100 nm for Fabry-Perot type and over 200 nm for quantum well lasers are achieved. They can be made to oscillate in a tunable mode having the desired polarization state,TE orTM and, in some cases, simultaneously atTE andTM. This is done by designing a cavity that increases strongly theTM/TE intensity ratio and by using coatings on one laser facet that greatly lower bothTE andTM reflectivities. High-speed polarization switching in the gigahertz range is possible by inserting passive or active polarization selecting elements in the cavity. For all these reasons hybrid external cavities are attractive for applications in optical metrology, spectroscopy and optical communications. Moreover, the external cavity configuration allows the study of physical mechanisms in the laser diode by inducing on purpose phenomena that would have been otherwise impossible to achieve with free-running lasers.     

TM and TE propagating modes of photonic crystal waveguide based on honeycomb lattices

The waveguide based on the honeycomb photonic crystal has propagating modes for both the TE and TM polarizations. The group index-normalized frequency curves are U-shaped for the two polarizations. The average group index of the TE mode is approximately 3, while the average group index of the TM mode is over 10, which implies that the TM mode is a slow light mode. With the shift value 0 ≤ δx ≤ 0.025a, the group index is over 10 and the normalized delay-bandwidth product is from 0.316 to 0.349, which is ideal for the slow light mode of the TM polarization. In the group velocity dispersion of the waveguide, there is a very large "zero" dispersion region for both the TM and TE modes, which is far larger than that of other photonic crystal waveguides. The TM mode of this kind of waveguide structure is a slow light mode with wide bandwidth and a large "zero" dispersion region.     

电气石颗粒/聚苯硫醚针刺毡复合过滤材料的过滤性能

为提高工业用过滤材料对细颗粒物的捕集效率,以袋式除尘用聚苯硫醚（PPS）针刺毡为基材,聚氨酯热熔胶膜为黏合层,通过溶液沉淀法将具有自发极化特性的电气石（TM）颗粒覆于基材表面,经热压处理制备了含不同纯度、不同含量、不同颗粒粒度的TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡复合过滤材料;利用SEM研究了TM对微细粒子的吸附情况,利用滤料性能测试装置研究了TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡的过滤性能,结果表明：附着TM颗粒后,TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡对亚微米粉尘过滤效率明显提高,TM纯度越高效果越好,纯度为87.16%时,滤料对0.3~1 μm粒子过滤效率提高幅度≥13.35%;最优附着浓度为5 mg·cm^-2时,用于综合评价滤料过滤效率与阻力的滤料品质因数Q_F值最高;TM颗粒粒径越小,过滤效率提升效果越明显,TM颗粒粒径18~38 μm时,对0.3~1 μm粒子过滤效率提高幅度≥7.25%。TM颗粒/PPS针刺毡复合滤料较传统针刺毡滤料过滤性能明显增强。     

一种新型自动激光经纬仪引导跟踪方法

针对传统电子经纬仪需要人眼瞄准读数,测量效率低下且测量精度易受瞄准误差影响的问题,本文提出一种新型的自动激光经纬仪系统,无需人眼瞄准即可实现经纬仪系统自动瞄准测量.该方法采用精密二维转台和高分辨率相机代替人眼,利用TM5100A的马达驱动功能将经纬仪的望远镜指向相机视场范围,实现引导跟踪功能.然后,再进一步识别并瞄准视场内的目标,完成对目标的识别和测量过程.本文主要就该系统中的跟踪引导算法进行了研究和分析.仿真和实验结果表明,该引导方法效率高,实用性强,能够较好地实现相机对经纬仪激光点的准确引导,保证了经纬仪测量系统的引导精度.