Ga0.66In0.34As/GaInAsP/InP tensile-strainedsingle-quantum-well lasers with 70-nm period wire active region

Fairly low threshold current operation was achieved with Ga_0.66In_0.34As/GaInAsP/InP tensile-strained (TS) single-quantum-well (SQW) lasers with 30-~40-nm-wide and 70-nm-period wire active region fabricated by a combination of a wet chemical etching and two-step OMVPE (organometallic vapor phase epitaxy) growth. Threshold current as low as 16 mA and threshold current density of 816 A/cm² were obtained under a room temperature CW condition. In comparing the spontaneous emission peak wavelength of the TS-SQW wire laser with that of the TS-SQW film laser, an approximately 10-meV blue shift of the fundamental energy level was observed in the TS-SQW wire laser     

Switching operation in a GaInAs-InP MQW integrated-twin-guide (ITG) optical switch

Switching operation in a GaInAs-InP MQW (multiple-quantum-well) three-dimensional directional coupler switch at the wavelength of 1.57 mu m was achieved with a short-length device (L=170 mu m approximately=L/sub c/). The device structure fabrication is based on a high-mesa-shaped integrated-twin-guide structure. Switching characteristics are reported, showing that the refractive index variation in the quantum well is about +0.68% with very low absorption loss increase.<>     

CW operation of 1.5 ~ 1.6 ?m wavelength GaInAsP/InP buried-heterostructure integrated twin-guide laser with distributed Bragg reflector

A 1.5 ~ 1.6 ?m GaInAsP/InP buried-heterostructure integrated twin-guide laser with distributed Bragg reflector (BH-DBR-ITG laser) was realised, for the first time, and CW operation was achieved up to 255 K. Single-wavelength operation was obtained at temperatures between 228 K and 245 K with the temperature dependence of lasing wavelength of 10 ?/deg. At 233 K, the threshold current, the output power and the differential quantum efficiency were 110 mA, 2.2 mW and 4.8%/facet, respectively.     

Consolidation of mechanically alloyed powder mixture of Cu–Zn alloy and graphite

A powder mixture consisting of Cu–29.7at.% Zn alloy and graphite was mechanically alloyed in a planetary ball mill. The supersaturated solid solubility of carbon in the Cu–29.7at.% Zn alloy was determined to be 38.5at.% C (alloy composition: Cu–18.3at.% Zn–38.5at.% C) by the change in lattice parameter of the alloy. Supersaturated Cu–24.2at.% Zn–18.5at.% C alloy powder consolidated by a static compression stress of 1.4 GPa was found to have a relative density of 89.7%, a Vickers hardness of 147.2, and a compressive strength of 1.4 GPa which is equal to the statically consolidated compression stress. Moreover, the supersaturated solid-soluble carbon did not precipitate. When dynamically consolidated by a 93 g projectile at a speed of 38.1 m s⁻¹ (estimated impact compression stress of 2.3 GPa) after static precompression of 0.4 GPa, the alloy powder was found to have a relative density of 93%, a Vickers hardness of 177, and a compressive strength of 2.3 GPa which is equal to the impact compression stress. Supersaturated solid solubility of 18.5at.% C decreased to 15at.% C after impact consolidation. The mechanically alloyed powders can maintain supersaturated solid solubility when consolidated by impact pressure, and especially when consolidated by static pressure.     

Materials modification using intense ion beams

Pulsed intense ion beams have been developed for applications including surface modification and alloying, and thin-film and nanopowder synthesis. Rapid thermal processing with ions is quite promising for large-scale commercial use, due to the high specific ion energy deposition (joules per cubic centimeter) without reflection, and to the relative efficiency and low cost of the pulsed power ion-beam drivers compared to other high-kinetic energy alternatives. We discuss in this paper the basis for the use of ions in materials processing and the methods of beam formation and impingement on material to be treated, and give examples of recent and ongoing work in materials processing.     

Improvement of the photostability of isotactic polypropylene by the incorporation of ethylene

The effect of the incorporation of ethylene on the photostability of isotactic poly(propylene) (iPP) was studied with the aim of improving the photostability. iPP was prepared with a random ethylene sequence (ethylene–propylene random copolymer, rPP), and the photooxidative degradation behavior was compared with that of homogeneous iPP. Both samples were thermally post‐treated under vacuum to ensure the same crystallinity. The degradation behavior was studied by infrared spectroscopy (IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) measurements. The rates of hydroperoxide and carbonyl formation in the irradiated iPP increased with irradiation time for > 192 h, whereas those in the irradiated rPP are almost constant after 96 h. The change in molecular weight with the irradiation time showed similar behavior, suggesting that the degradation reaction in the irradiated rPP was suppressed after 96 h. The degradation behavior of rPP was thought to be due to the dissociation of the methyl group, which leads to the termination of degradation. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1863–1867, 2002