Impact of a Short-Pulse High-Intense Proton Irradiation on High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells

This work investigates the radiation resistance of high-performance multi-component perovskite solar cells (PSCs) for the first time under extreme short-pulse proton irradiation conditions. The devices are subjected to high-intensity 170 keV pulsed (150 ns) proton irradiation, with a fluence of up to 10¹³ p cm^−2, corresponding to ≈30 years of operation at low Earth orbit. A complex material characterization of the perovskite active layer and device physics analysis of the PSCs before and after short-pulse proton irradiation is conducted. The obtained results indicate that the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells experiences a slight deterioration up to 20 % and 50 % following the low 2 × 10¹² p cm⁻² and high 1 × 10¹³ p cm⁻² proton fluences, respectively, due to increased non-radiative recombination losses. The findings reveal that multi-component PSCs are immune even to extreme high-intense short-pulse proton irradiation, which exceeds harsh space conditions, including intense coronal ejection events usually associated with solar flares.     

Efficiency of antioxidants in thick-walled natural rubber samples evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and compression stress–relaxation

The effect ot two antioxidants, IPPD and DENA, on the aging properties of TMTD-vulcanized natural rubber was studied by DSC. In the case of IPPD, the results were compared with mechanical measurements. The DSC measurements were carried out on specimens taken at different depths from cylindrical samples. The decrease in oxidative induction time was less pronounced for IPPD than for DENA at the edge of the samples. In the interior, the opposite behaviour was observed.     

Management criteria for lake ecosystems applied to case studies of changes in nutrient loading and climate change

The aim of this paper is twofold: to present and discuss practically useful management criteria from different perspectives of lake management (fishery, recreation, conservation, monitoring of water quality and use of water for irrigation and drinking), and to put these criteria into the context of a holistic lake ecosystem model, LakeWeb, which accounts for production, biomasses, predation and abiotic/biotic feedbacks related to nine key functional groups of organisms constituting the lake ecosystem. These are phytoplankton, benthic algae, macrophytes, bacterioplankton, herbivorous zooplankton, predatory zooplankton, zoobenthos, prey fish and predatory fish. The LakeWeb model also includes a mass‐balance model for phosphorus and calculates bio‐uptake and retention of phosphorus in these groups of organisms. It also includes submodels for the depth of the photic zone and lake temperature. The LakeWeb model is driven by few and readily accessible driving variables and it has been extensively tested and shown to capture fundamental lake foodweb interactions very well, which should lend credibility to the scenarios discussed in this paper regarding the conditions in Lake Batorino, Belarus. The LakeWeb model offers a tool to address important, often very complex, scientific problems in a realistic manner. The first scenario describes the changes after 1990 when there was a drastic reduction in the use of fertilizers in agriculture because of political changes and the corresponding changes in lake characteristics and foodweb structures utilizing the given management criteria. The second scenario describes, for comparative purposes, the probable alterations in the lake foodweb related to global climatic changes; in this case, warming and increased temperature variations. This study indicates that there are several similarities between eutrophication and increases in temperatures, which are discussed in this paper along with the mechanistic reasons related to such changes by using a set of general management criteria.     

Research on orotron oscillator with dispersive open resonant system

Theoretical and experimental results of an investigation into a new resonant system have been obtained. This system is named the sphere-corner-echelette open resonator (SCEOR) due to the employment of a mirror that was formed by two echelettes at the angles of 45° to the resonator axis. It turns ont that this resonator is excited on the specific modes not unique to others oscillating systems. There are presented the results of the experimental research of the orotron oscillator with the SCEOR. The spectrum of this device contains only the fundamental modes such as theT E M ₀₀₆,T E M ₀₀₇,T E M ₀₀₈. The efficiency of the orotron is improved, when all other factors are the same the orotron with a much used sphere-cylindrical open resonator.