InGaAsP double-channel- planar-buried-heterostructure laser diode (DC-PBH LD) with effective current confinement

A new high-performance 1.3-μm InGaAsP semiconductor laser is described, in which effective current confinement into the active region has been realized. A p-n-p-n current blocking structure is made by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) on both sides of the active-stripe mesa which is defined by a pair of channels in the double-heterostructure wafer. The double-channel-planar-buried-heterostructure laser diodes (DC-PBH LD's) exhibit high-laser performances, such as a high differential quantum efficiency of 78-percent maximum, which results in high electrical to optical power conversion efficiency 43 percent, and high light output power of over 50 mW, as a result of the improvement in the current blocking structure. The threshold current temperature sensitivity is found experimentally to be reduced remarkably by increasing the doping concentration in the p-cladding layer. Characteristic temperature as high as 100 K has been obtained. CW operation is possible up to 130°C.     

Note: Unshielded bilateral magnetoencephalography system using two-dimensional gradiometers

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) noninvasively measures neuronal activity with high temporal resolution. The aim of this study was to develop a new type of MEG system that can measure bilateral MEG waveforms without a magnetically shielded room, which is an obstacle to reducing both the cost and size of an MEG system. An unshielded bilateral MEG system was developed using four two-dimensional (2D) gradiometers and two symmetric cryostats. The 2D gradiometer, which is based on a low-T(c) superconducting quantum interference device and wire-wound pickup coil detects a magnetic-field gradient in two orthogonal directions, or ?/?x(?(2)B(z)/?z(2)), and reduces environmental magnetic-field noise by more than 50 dB. The cryostats can be symmetrically positioned in three directions: vertical, horizontal, and rotational. This makes it possible to detect bilateral neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex simultaneously. Bilateral auditory-evoked fields (AEF) of 18 elderly subjects were measured in an unshielded hospital environment using the MEG system. As a result, both the ipsilateral and the contralateral AEF component N100m, which is the magnetic counterpart of electric N100 in electroencephalography and appears about 100 ms after the onset of an auditory stimulus, were successfully detected for all the subjects. Moreover, the ipsilateral P50m and the contralateral P50m were also detected for 12 (67%) and 16 (89%) subjects, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the unshielded bilateral MEG system can detect MEG waveforms, which are associated with brain dysfunction such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Down syndrome.     

Practical Controller Design of Hybrid Experimental System for Seismic Tests

A hybrid experimental system is one of the powerful tools to perform various seismic tests for unknown and/or huge structures, where an actuator-excited experimental vibratory system and a computational response analysis are simultaneously combined and implemented. This paper presents a control methodology for high-performance hybrid experimental systems. A 2-DOF control framework is applied from the viewpoint of control techniques, where a feedback compensator is designed according to the system stabilization analysis, and a feedforward (FF) compensator is designed to achieve the desired servo characteristics. In the FF compensator design, an iterative learning control approach is particularly adopted to eliminate the response delays in the hydraulic actuator. The proposed compensation algorithm has been verified using a laboratory hybrid experimental set up with two-mass structure as a load mechanism.     

High-performance organic field-effect transistors with binary ionic liquids

High-performance rubrene single-crystal field-effect transistors are developed with binary ionic liquid electrolytes used for gating. Inclusion of small amount of inorganic salts in the ionic liquids enhances the degree of dissociation for the organic ions and accelerates formation of the electric-double-layers in response to the gate voltage. High carrier mobility of 2.9 cm²/Vs is achieved in the rubrene single-crystal transistors with the mixture ionic liquid. In addition to the advantage of the low-voltage operation due to concentrated field in ultra-thin electric-double-layers, drastically increased capacitance at above 100 Hz makes the technique of the ionic liquid gating more attractive for fast-switching devices.     

Microfluidic particle sorter employing flow splitting and recombining

This paper describes an improved microfluidic device that enables hydrodynamic particle concentration and size-dependent separation to be carried out in a continuous manner. In our previous study, a method for hydrodynamic filtration and sorting of particles was proposed using a microchannel having multiple branch points and side channels, and it was applied for continuous concentration and separation of polymer particles and cells. In the current study, the efficiency of particle sorting was dramatically improved by geometrically splitting fluid flow from a main stream and recombining. With these operations, particles with diameters larger than a specific value move toward one sidewall in the mainstream. This control of particle positions is followed by the perfect particle alignment onto the sidewall, which increases the selectivity and recovery rates without using a liquid that does not contain particles. In this study, a microchannel having one inlet and five outlets was designed and fabricated. By simply introducing particle suspension into the device, concentrations of 2.1-3.0-microm particles were increased 60-80-fold, and they were collected independently from each outlet. In addition, it was demonstrated that the measured flow rates distributed into each side channel corresponded well to the theoretical values when regarding the microchannel network as a resistive circuit.     

Epithelial Cell Transformation and Senescence as Indicators of Genome Aging: Current Advances and Unanswered Questions

The recent advances in deciphering the human genome allow us to understand and evaluate the mechanisms of human genome age-associated transformations, which are largely unclear. Genome sequencing techniques assure comprehensive mapping of human genetics; however, understanding of gene functional interactions, specifically of time/age-dependent modifications, remain challenging. The age of the genome is defined by the sum of individual (inherited) and acquired genomic traits, based on internal and external factors that impact ontogenesis from the moment of egg fertilization and embryonic development. The biological part of genomic age opens a new perspective for intervention. The discovery of single cell-based mechanisms for genetic change indicates the possibility of influencing aging and associated disease burden, as well as metabolism. Cell populations with transformed genetic background were shown to serve as the origin of common diseases during extended life expectancy (superaging). Consequently, age-related cell transformation leads to cancer and cell degeneration (senescence). This article aims to describe current advances in the genomic mechanisms of senescence and its role in the spatiotemporal spread of epithelial clones and cell evolution.     

Identification of plant model of linear induction motors for a traction system intended for use in a high‐performance controller

A linear induction motor (LIM) is suitable for use in trains. The motor can be used in both wheel‐suspended and contact‐less types such as the Linear Metro and HSST trains in Japan. The LIM has end winding as well as asymmetrical winding. The end effect is a major problem in the LIM, and it makes the analysis, design, and control of motors difficult. This paper describes a method that combines numerical analysis and the equivalent circuit for the LIM in order to design a high‐performance controller for the LIM that includes the end effect. A sample basic field‐oriented control scheme that is based on the plant model is applied to the LIM in order to check the control performance. The theory of rotary induction motors is used for verification. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 179(2): 44–54, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21171     

The effect of methyl-tri-n-butylammonium methylsulfate and graphite nanoplates on production of antistatic acrylic polymer

Methyl-tri-n-butylammonium methylsulfate (BIL) was incorporated into acrylic resin to improve antistatic property of acrylic polymer (AP). In order to avoid reduction in the mechanical properties of acrylic film and to reach higher electrical conductivity values, the combination of graphite nanoplates (Gr) and BIL was used. The effects of incorporation of BIL and Gr into AP on UV-blocking properties and UV transmittance data of acrylic films were measured. After 120 days, AP containing 5 wt% BIL and 0.01 wt% Gr, and AP+15 wt% BIL exhibited antistatic property. While BIL incorporation into acrylic resin deteriorated the mechanical properties, 0.01 wt% Gr incorporation increased the tensile strength by 83%.     

Design of a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid flow cell for x-ray absorption fine structure measurements under catalytic reaction conditions

The design and performance of a new high-pressure and high-temperature cell for measurement of x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra of solid catalysts working in a flowing liquid are presented. The cell has flat, high-purity sintered cubic boron nitride (c-BN) windows which can tolerate high temperature (900 K) and high pressure (10 MPa). The c-BN is a new material which has the highest tensile strength, second only to diamond, and is also chemically and thermally stable. The use of the cell is demonstrated for measurements of PtPdAl(2)O(3) and Ni(2)PSiO(2) hydrodesulfurization catalysts at reaction conditions. A technique called delta chi (Deltachi), involving determining the difference between XAFS spectra of the sample at reaction conditions and the bare sample, is introduced.