Multilevel Decision Method for Band-Limited Digital FM with Limiter-Discriminator Detection

A new decision method for band-limited digital FM that employs discriminator detection is presented. This new method adopts a multilevel decision scheme to soften the intersymbol interference effects caused by severe band limitation. It is shown that applying this method significantly improves bit error rate (BER) performance of digital FM using discriminator detection. Theoretical BER evaluation proves the superiority of this method, and establishes the optimum values for fundamental transmitter parameters. Experimental results are provided to support the superiority of this method.     

Transition from the lowest linewidth mode operation to coherencecollapse in a semiconductor laser with feedback from a distant reflector

The influences of optical feedback from a distant reflector on single-mode semiconductor laser operation are analyzed theoretically. The stable operation in the lowest linewidth mode and the feedback parameter for the onset of coherence collapse are systematically derived. In the feedback regime for the lowest linewidth mode operation, the laser principally operates at the emission frequency of the solitary laser at the beginning of the operation with the feedback. It is shown exactly by asymptotic analysis of the equation for the field phase in the semiconductor cavity considering the time-lag of the feedback that the laser comes to operate in the lowest linewidth mode. In the lowest linewidth mode operation, the laser is stably phase-locked to the feedback. In the semiconductor cavity, the field amplitude and the field phase oscillate in almost the same phase in the fluctuation modes related to the relaxation oscillations, In the lowest linewidth mode operation, the phase oscillations enhance the amplitude oscillations through the feedback-action's dependence upon the phase difference between the field in the semiconductor cavity and the feedback. Thus, the damping of the relaxation oscillations decreases with further increased feedback and the transition to the coherence collapse occurs     

A narrow beam 1.3-μm-super luminescent diode integrated with aspot-size converter and a new type rear absorbing region

The device structure and performance of 1.3-μm narrow beam superluminescent diodes (NB-SLD's), which consist of a spot-size converter and a new type rear absorbing region, are reported. A butt-jointed selectively grown spot-size converter (SSC) is employed to realize the narrow beam characteristics. The rear absorbing region is designed as a taper structure with a part of the region is inclined from the active-stripe axes. In order to investigate the effects of both SSC length and active-region length on device performance, two types of NB-SLDs, whose SSC and active-region lengths differ, are fabricated. An electrode to sweep out photoexcited carriers in the absorption region is formed on one device. By comparing the characteristics of these devices, we clarify that a 500-μm-active-region device is suitable for high-output power operation, and a 400-μm-active-region device is suitable for realizing short coherent length. The light-output power is 13.9 mW at 200-mA-injection current for the former device, and the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the spectrum is 62.6 nm (calculated coherence length is 26.5 μm) for the latter device. Very small spectral modulation index (0.015 at 5 mW-output power) is attained by grounding the absorption-region electrode. For the SSC length, a 300-μm SSC device shows very narrow far-field patterns (FFPs) and very good fiber-coupling characteristics. The FWHM of horizontal and vertical FFPs are 8.9 and 10.6°, respectively. Because of this narrow beam divergence, the coupling efficiency of -1.9 dB to a flat-end 4-μm spot-size fiber is obtained without lenses. The alignment tolerance of this device to the fiber for both horizontal and vertical direction is more than 3 μm at a loss of when -1 dB from the optimum coupling     

Applications of excimer lasers to laser-radar observations of the upper atmosphere

Development of efficient ultraviolet (UV) rare-gas halide excimer lasers has added new possibilities for laser radar (lidar) technique for monitoring atmospheric constituents. An experimental result of the observation of the stratospheric ozone layer by a XeCl laser (308 nm) based on the differential-absorption-lidar (DIAL) technique is described. The obtained ozone profile in an altitude range of 15- 25 km are in good agreement with those measured by radiosonde. The measurement error is analyzed for one-wavelength lidar. The accuracy is estimated to be 10-30 percent within an altitude range of 10-30 km and at a range resolution of 1 km or less. The accuracy and the resolution are higher than the Umkehr method. Recent progress of rare-gas halide lasers and their frequency conversion techniques as a transmitter for lidar are reviewed. Many powerful and reliable new sources are available in almost every wavelength over the near UV region. New applications of these UV sources to the lidar system are also briefly discussed, especially from the scientific field on the middle atmosphere.     

Lipids of myelin,white matter and gray matter in a case of generalized deficiency of cytochrome b5 reductase in congenital methemoglobinemia with mental retardation

The lipid classes and fatty acid compositions of myelin, white matter and gray matter were analyzed in a case of generalized deficiency of cytochrome b₅ reductase in congenital methemoglobinemia with mental retardation. When compared with normal data, the percentage of 24∶1 was considerably decreased and diminished unsaturation was observed in cerebrosides, whereas the sum of 24∶0 and 24∶1 was the same as in normals. The ratio of hydroxy fatty acids to total fatty acids in cerebrosides was low. The contents of cholesterol and phospholipids in white matter were reduced to 80% of the normal, whereas cerebroside was reduced to 48% of the normal.     

Fabrication of electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film compared with other fluorinated carbon materials

We fabricated electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film that had an sp² and sp³ hybrid nanocrystalline structure formed using the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sputtering method. This fluorinated ECR (F-ECR) nano-carbon film prepared with a short CF₄ plasma treatment has a high fluorine content (F/C:0.20) and a low oxygen content (O/C:0.02) on its surface and retains its original morphology. This F-ECR nano-carbon is capable of a lower capacitance current, and a wider potential window than untreated ECR nano-carbon. The electron transfer rates at an F-ECR electrode are as high as those of untreated carbons for , whereas they are much slower than those of untreated ECR nano-carbon for Fe^2+/3+ and owing to its selective sp² fluorination. These slow electron transfer rates for Fe^2+/3+ and are maintained during potential cycles due to its robust nanocrystalline structure. In contrast, these slow electron transfer rates were easily recovered for fluorinated glassy carbon under same condition. Furthermore, a smaller fluorination effect was observed for polycrystalline boron-doped diamond owing to the low reactivity of its sp³ bonds. Our ECR nano-carbon film is suitable for the effective fabrication of a fluorinated surface while maintaining a relatively active electrochemical interface and excellent stability.     

Formation of Ga droplets on patterned GaAs (100) by molecular beam epitaxy

In this paper, the formation of Ga droplets on photo-lithographically patterned GaAs (100) and the control of the size and density of Ga droplets by droplet epitaxy using molecular beam epitaxy are demonstrated. In extension of our previous result from the journal Physical Status Solidi A, volume 209 in 2012, the sharp contrast of the size and density of Ga droplets is clearly observed by high-resolution scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Also, additional monolayer (ML) coverage is added to strength the result. The density of droplets is an order of magnitude higher on the trench area (etched area), while the size of droplets is much larger on the strip top area (un-etched area). A systematic variation of ML coverage results in an establishment of the control of size and density of Ga droplets. The cross-sectional line profile analysis and root mean square roughness analysis show that the trench area (etched area) is approximately six times rougher. The atomic surface roughness is suggested to be the main cause of the sharp contrast of the size and density of Ga droplets and is discussed in terms of surface diffusion.     

Effect of Electron Correlation on Angular Dependence of Magnetoconductivity

We have measured the electrical resistivities and magnetoresistances (MR) of (EDT-DSDTFVO)₂X (X=FeCl₄, GaCl₄), where EDT-DSDTFVO stands for ethylenedithiodiselenadithiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide. These materials undergo gradual metal-insulator transitions at T_min=52 K for FeCl₄-salt and T_min=30 K for GaCl₄-salt, respectively. In spite of the similarity of the temperature dependence of the resistivity and its pressure effect, MR of both salts exhibit a clear contrast, i.e. FeCl₄-salt shows negative and GaCl₄, positive. Origin of the difference in the sign of MR between these salts are discussed in terms of the existence of π-d interaction.     

Suppression of external cavity modes in DFB lasers with a highendurance against optical feedback

This paper clarifies that the external cavity modes deform optical output response in the DFB lasers by enhancing the relaxation oscillation under NRZ modulation. It is shown that a DFB laser with an asymmetric structure in reflectivity of facets and in position of a λ/4 phase shift can suppress the influence of the external cavity modes