Development of remote calibration system for pressure standard

A remote calibration technology for disseminating pressure standard has been developed. In the remote calibration, a transfer standard is transported from a calibration laboratory to a client’s site where a calibration item is used. Using the transfer standard and the internet, the calibration item is calibrated on site. For the remote calibration, integrated transfer standards were newly developed in different pressure ranges. Each transfer standard includes a pressure controller, two or three precise pressure transducers, environmental measurement devices and an inclinometer in one box. Also the calibration protocol was examined to perform the remote calibration efficiently using the transfer standard. In order to prove the effectiveness of the remote calibration, the demonstration experiments were performed domestically and internationally. Here, the calibration protocol for the remote calibration and the functional overview of the newly developed transfer standards are described. The experimental results are also shown.     

Aspects of the Satellite Broadcasting Experiments using the BSE and its In-Orbit Performance

The Japanese Medium-scale Broadcasting Satellite for Experimental Purpose (BSE) was launched in April 1978 and ended all experiments in January 1982. Valuable technical data related to satellite broadcasting systems and satellite technology were obtained during the mission period through the experiments and operations of the BSE. This paper describes the outline of the satellite broadcasting experiments and in-orbit performance of the BSE.     

Metabolism of insulin and glucagon in liver and pancreas in dogs with obstructive jaundice

Insulin and glucagon metabolism in the pancreas with obstructive jaundice caused by complete ligation of the common bile duct and in the cholestatic liver caused by hepatic duct ligation was evaluated experimentally using dogs. The isolated perfused pancreas in obstructive jaundiced dogs, which showed a low insulin response in the peripheral blood after intravenous glucose administration, revealed depression of insulin production and no change of glucagon production in response to cholecystokinin octapeptide. The extraction of insulin in the cholestatic lobe of the liver was decreased compared with that in the noncholestatic lobe. The extraction of glucagon, on the other hand, in the cholestatic lobe and in the noncholestatic lobe showed no significant difference. So the imbalance of glucose metabolism in obstructive jaundice does not depend on the enhanced extraction of insulin in the liver, but on the depression of insulin production in the pancreas.     

A digital driving method using pulse-density modulation with a random dither matrix for higher motion image quality

We propose a new digital driving technique using pulse-density modulation (PDM) with a random dither matrix for evenness of luminance uniformity and higher motion image quality. As a digital driving technique, pulse-width modulation (PWM) is conventionally used for active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays in order to improve luminance uniformity. However, in PWM driving, it is difficult to realize high-frame-rate driving for improving motion image quality. On the other hand, it is considered that PDM driving method is effective to obtain high motion image quality because of non-frame-refreshing property. In the present paper, we proposed a PDM driving technique using a random dither matrix and evaluated the relationship between the display image quality and the driving frequency in the proposed method through simulations. As a result, it is confirmed that good image quality can be obtained by using a blue-noise mask as a random dither matrix at a practical driving frequency. Moreover, we demonstrated the proposed technique using an actual AMOLED panel.     

Motion blur reduction with triangular waveform emission and optimized enhance filter

Degradation of moving image quality by motion blur on hold‐type displays is a well‐known issue. In order to reduce motion blur, a number of driving methods, such as a higher frame rate and a shorter temporal aperture, have been proposed. Methods to reduce motion blur by means of signal processing as a precompensation method have also been proposed. In these methods, however, hold emission that emits light at a constant intensity during a frame is used. Since the spatial frequency response of the hold emission in a moving picture has a null point, the effectiveness of precompensation methods is limited to the lower‐spatial frequency domain. A triangular waveform emission has been investigated, and it has a higher spatial frequency response than hold emission. In the present paper, we calculated an optimized enhancement filter for the triangular waveform emission as a precompensation method and demonstrated its effectiveness for reducing motion blur by using the triangular waveform emission and the optimized enhancement filter. As a result, the optimized enhancement filter reduced motion blur and suppressed distortion that emerged when using a conventional enhancement filter.     

Aluminum Deoxidation Equilibrium of Fe-Ni Alloy at 1773 K and 1873 K

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - The aluminum deoxidation equilibrium in molten Fe-36 mass pct Ni and Fe-46 mass pct Ni alloys was experimentally determined at 1773 K and 1873 K to...     

Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides as Light Sources

Reducing the dimensions of materials is one of the key approaches to discovering novel optical phenomena. The recent emergence of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) has provided a promising platform for exploring new optoelectronic device applications, with their tunable electronic properties, structural controllability, and unique spin valley–coupled systems. This progress report provides an overview of recent advances in TMDC‐based light‐emitting devices discussed from several aspects in terms of device concepts, material designs, device fabrication, and their diverse functionalities. First, the advantages of TMDCs used in light‐emitting devices and their possible functionalities are presented. Second, conventional approaches for fabricating TMDC light‐emitting devices are emphasized, followed by introducing a newly established, versatile method for generating light emission in TMDCs. Third, current growing technologies for heterostructure fabrication, in which distinct TMDCs are vertically stacked or laterally stitched, are explained as a possible means for designing high‐performance light‐emitting devices. Finally, utilizing the topological features of TMDCs, the challenges for controlling circularly polarized light emission and its device applications are discussed from both theoretical and experimental points of view.     

Self‐Aligned and Scalable Growth of Monolayer WSe2–MoS2 Lateral Heterojunctions

2D layered heterostructures have attracted intensive interests due to their unique optical, transport, and interfacial properties. The laterally stitched heterojunction based on dissimilar 2D transition metal dichalcogenides forms an intrinsic p–n junction without the necessity of applying an external voltage. However, no scalable processes are reported to construct the devices with such lateral heterostructures. Here, a scalable strategy, two‐step and location‐selective chemical vapor deposition, is reported to synthesize self‐aligned WSe₂–MoS₂ monolayer lateral heterojunction arrays and demonstrates their light‐emitting devices. The proposed fabrication process enables the growth of high‐quality interfaces and the first successful observation of electroluminescence at the WSe₂–MoS₂ lateral heterojunction. The electroluminescence study has confirmed the type‐I alignment at the interface rather than commonly believed type‐II alignment. This self‐aligned growth process paves the way for constructing various 2D lateral heterostructures in a scalable manner, practically important for integrated 2D circuit applications.     

A study on a driving method of OLED displays for better motion image quality with adaptive temporal aperture control

Degradation of motion image quality by motion blur on hold‐type displays, such as liquid‐crystal displays and organic light‐emitting diode displays, is a well‐known issue. To improve motion image quality, a driving method with a shorter temporal aperture has been proposed. However, a shorter temporal aperture requires higher instantaneous luminance on displays. Higher instantaneous luminance accelerates the lifetime degradation of organic light‐emitting diode. Therefore, we have been developing a driving method with adaptive temporal aperture control for a longer lifetime and better motion image quality. However, two image quality degradations were perceived when this driving method was applied. One of these degradations was caused at the boundary between the different temporal apertures. The other degradation was caused by switching the temporal aperture between frames. Hence, we have also proposed transition area and period insertion methods to suppress these degradations. In this paper, we discuss the mechanism of these degradations and confirm the effectiveness of our proposed methods by subjective evaluations. In the results, the degradations were suppressed by inserting 80 lines of transition area and by inserting 50 frames of transition period.     

Nanobiotechnology as an emerging research domain from nanotechnology: A bibliometric approach

Nanotechnology has been intensively investigated by bibliometric methods due to its technological importance and expected impacts on economic activity. However, there is less focus on nanobiotechnology, which is an emerging research domain in nanotechnology. In this paper, we study the current status of the former, with our primary focus being to reveal the structure and research domains in nanobiotechnology. We also examine country and institutional performance in nanobiotechnology. It emerged that nanostructures, drug delivery and biomedical applications, bio-imaging, and carbon nanotubes and biosensors are the major research domains, while the USA is the leading country, and China has also made substantial contribution. Most institutions having a major impact in the area of nanobiotechnology are located in the USA.