Optical Amplification at 1.3 μm in a Praseodymium-Doped Sulfide-Glass Fiber

Praseodymium-doped glasses were prepared in the Ga-Na-S (GNS) system and their optical properties were studied. A single-mode fiber with an attenuation loss of 1.2 dB/m at a wavelength of 1.31 μm was fabricated using an extrusion method, and the amplification characteristics were measured in the bidirectional pumping configuration. We demonstrated a gain coefficient of 0.81 dB/mW at a wavelength of 1.34 μm, which is the highest we have ever reported, and achieved a net gain of 32 dB for a pump power of 90 mW. Highly efficient optical amplification at a wavelength of 1.3 μm was demonstrated in the praseodymium-doped GNS fiber.     

Functional neuromuscular stimulation system using an implantablehydroxyapatite connector and a microprocessor-based portable stimulator

For developing functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) orthoses, percutaneous implants made of sintered hydroxyapatite (HAp) and a microprocessor-based portable stimulator were devised, and related basic studies were carried out. First, a button-shaped HAp was percutaneously implanted up to 23 months in the skin of dogs, and 30 months in human subjects. The HAp was closely contacted with the skin tissue. Then, button-shaped HAp electrical connectors were percutaneously implanted in the skin of rabbits. Sufficient contractions of the calf muscle were elicited by electrical stimuli delivered to intramuscular electrodes through the connector. These results indicated that the HAp electrical connector could be clinically utilized as an implantable skin interface for FNS. The microprocessor-based stimulator capable of processing control command signals and delivering 16-channels of electrical stimuli was developed. Usefulness of the stimulator was demonstrated by applying it to flexor and extensor muscles of the thumb in a C5 quadriplegic patient.     

Effect of photochemical etching on interface state density of Ga0.47In0.53As metal/insulator/semiconductor diodes

A metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) structure of Ga0.47In0.53As has been prepared by applying an excimer laser photo-CVD process to depositing an SiNx insulating layer. It is found that interface state densities can be remarkably reduced by in situ photochemical etching with CC14 or CH3Br gases prior to SiNx deposition. A minimum value of the U-shape profile of the interface state density as low as 5 × 1011 cm-2eV-1is attained.     

Fermi surface of NbO

Studies of the dHvA effect have been made on NbO single crystals grown by a zone melting techniques and 13 separate frequency branches ranging from 5.2×10⁶ G to 1.2×10⁸G have been observed. To understand the origin of the dHvA frequencies, we have made a self-consistent band structure calculation. Most experimental frequencies are found to be assigned to the extremal orbits on the calculated Fermi surfaces. There is good qualitative agreement between experiment and calculation, but some quantitative discrepancies still exist. We also report some physical properties, i.e., electrical resistivity, superconducting transition temperature, and electronic specific heat, of this high-quality NbO crystal.     

基于价值评价方法对天津碱厂进行工业遗产的分级保护

工业遗产的价值评价、保护及再利用的方式成为目前的研究热点。基于价值评价法,对天津碱厂工业遗产的价值评价与工业遗产的实体相结合,探讨工业遗产的价值评价分级与分级保护方式,为工业遗产的保护和改造再利用方式提供理论依据。     

Measurement Scheme for One‐Way Delay Variation with Detection and Removal of Clock Skew

One‐way delay variation (OWDV) has become increasingly of interest to researchers as a way to evaluate network state and service quality, especially for real‐time and streaming services such as voice‐over‐Internet‐protocol (VoIP) and video. Many schemes for OWDV measurement require clock synchronization through the global‐positioning system (GPS) or network time protocol. In clock‐synchronized approaches, the accuracy of OWDV measurement depends on the accuracy of the clock synchronization. GPS provides highly accurate clock synchronization. However, the deployment of GPS on legacy network equipment might be slow and costly. This paper proposes a method for measuring OWDV that dispenses with clock synchronization. The clock synchronization problem is mainly caused by clock skew. The proposed approach is based on the measurement of inter‐packet delay and accumulated OWDV. This paper shows the performance of the proposed scheme via simulations and through experiments in a VoIP network. The presented simulation and measurement results indicate that clock skew can be efficiently measured and removed and that OWDV can be measured without requiring clock synchronization.     

Nanoparticle formation in H2O/N2 and H2O/Ar mixtures under irradiation by 20 MeV protons and positive corona discharge

To investigate the contribution of ions to gas nucleation, we have performed experiments on the formation of water droplets in H₂O/N₂ and H₂O/Ar gas mixtures by irradiation with a 20 MeV proton beam and by positive corona discharge. The size of the formed nanoparticles was measured using a differential mobility analyzer equipped with a Faraday cup electrometer. Using the proton beam, droplets around 10 nm in diameter were observed for both positively and negatively charged particles, but none were found when the corona discharge was used. This implies the importance of the presence of both positive and negative ions for the formation of nanosize droplets, which attract each other by Coulomb interactions, enhancing the collision frequency and leading to the formation of the 10 nm droplets.     

Molded micro- and mesoporous carbon/silica composite from rice husk and beet sugar

A molded carbon/silica composite with high micro- and mesoporosity, as well as a high bulk density, was fabricated by activating a disk-molded precursor made from carbonized rice husk (RH) and beet sugar (BS) at 875 °C in CO₂. The pore structure of the RH- and BS-based carbon/silica composite (RBC) was analysed in relation to the bulk density. An activation time of 2.0 h provided the largest BET specific surface area (1027 m²/g) and total pore volume (0.68 cm³/g) and a low bulk density (0.54 g/cm³). An RBC that was first activated for 1 h was immersed again in BS syrup and then activated in CO₂ for 1 h. This two-step activation process provided both a high bulk density (0.69 g/cm³) and a highly textured structure (BET specific surface area, 943 m²/g; total pore volume, 0.56 cm³/g). The immersion in BS syrup was useful for improving the texture without reducing the bulk density, in comparison to one-step activation for 1.0 h. The suspension of the RBCs was basic because of the residual inorganic compounds of potassium and calcium. However, the basicity of the suspension was alleviated by washing the RBCs with water.     

Effect of Support Materials on the Selective Methanation of CO over Ru Catalysts

Selective methanation of CO in the reformate gas (CO/CO₂/H₂/H₂O = 0.175/17.9/70.9/11.1) proceeded over Ru catalysts supported on metal oxides and zeolites. CO was selectively methanated at wide temperature ranges (200–275 °C) over Ru/γ-Al₂O₃, Ru/TiO₂ Ru/H-Y and Ru/H-beta catalysts. Higher Ru contents in Ru/γ-Al₂O₃ improved the selective CO methanation rate.