A novel polarizer‐free dye‐doped polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal for reflective TFT displays

Abstract— A novel preparation method for dichroic dye‐doped polymer‐dispersed liquid crystals has been developed. This was achieved by creating a porous polymer matrix first by washing out the liquid crystal from a polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), which is then refilled with dye‐doped liquid crystal. Optimizing the liquid crystal used in the refilling results in decreased turn‐on voltage and faster response time. Poster‐standard reflectivity and newspaper‐standard contrast was demonstrated with a 3.8‐in. QVGA reflective TFT display with a drive voltage of 10 V.     

Micro Textures in Concentrated-Conformal-Contact Lubrication: Effect of Distribution Patterns

Micro-scale textures may be engineered into surfaces for lubrication performance improvement. It is expected that a carefully chosen texture helps retain lubricant and enhances the hydrodynamic effect at the interface. The concept of model-based virtual texturing enables textured surfaces to be generated and “tested” through numerical simulations. This paper reports virtual texturing and simulation of a group of textured surfaces in a lubricated concentrated contact. The focus of the study is on the selection of texture distribution patterns based on their lubrication performance. Patterns of fishbone, sinusoidal, triangular, and honeycomb distributions have been investigated. The effects of texture direction, orientation angle, feature continuity, and aspect ratio are also studied. The results indicate that, for the given material and geometry system under the given conditions in the present work, the textures generating the strongest hydrodynamic lifting are short grooves with a small aspect ratio and sinusoidal waves of a small wavelength/amplitude ratio propagating in the motion direction.     

Scene-based nonuniformity correction with video sequences and registration

We describe a new, to our knowledge, scene-based nonuniformity correction algorithm for array detectors. The algorithm relies on the ability to register a sequence of observed frames in the presence of the fixed-pattern noise caused by pixel-to-pixel nonuniformity. In low-to-moderate levels of nonuniformity, sufficiently accurate registration may be possible with standard scene-based registration techniques. If the registration is accurate, and motion exists between the frames, then groups of independent detectors can be identified that observe the same irradiance (or true scene value). These detector outputs are averaged to generate estimates of the true scene values. With these scene estimates, and the corresponding observed values through a given detector, a curve-fitting procedure is used to estimate the individual detector response parameters. These can then be used to correct for detector nonuniformity. The strength of the algorithm lies in its simplicity and low computational complexity. Experimental results, to illustrate the performance of the algorithm, include the use of visible-range imagery with simulated nonuniformity and infrared imagery with real nonuniformity.     

Out‐of‐Plane Strain Induced in a Moiré Superstructure of Monolayer MoS2 and MoSe2 on Au(111)

Making contact of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with a metal surface is essential for fabricating and designing electronic devices and catalytic systems. It also generates strain in the TMDCs that plays significant role in both electronic and phonon structures. Therefore, detailed understanding of mechanism of the strain generation is important to fully comprehend the modulation effect for the electronic and phonon properties. Here, MoS₂ and MoSe₂ monolayers are grown on Au surface by chemical vapor deposition and it is demonstrated that the contact with a crystalline Au(111) surface gives rise to only out‐of‐plane strain in both MoS₂ and MoSe₂ layers, whereas no strain generation is observed on polycrystalline Au or SiO₂/Si surfaces. Scanning tunneling microscopy analysis provides information regarding consequent specific adsorption sites between lower S (Se) atoms in the S? Mo? S (Se? Mo? Se) structure and Au atoms via unique moiré superstructure formation for MoS₂ and MoSe₂ layers on Au(111). This observation indicates that the specific adsorption sites give rise to out‐of‐plane strain in the TMDC layers. Furthermore, it also leads to effective modulation of the electronic structure of the MoS₂ or MoSe₂ layer.     

Tunable Terahertz Device Using Refractive Index Control

We measured the thermal dependencies of the refractive index and the absorption coefficient of high-resistivity silicon. We found that the refractive index varied slightly with temperature, and the absorption coefficient was very low and remained approximately constant as the temperature was changed. As a result, the conditions for terahertz propagation in silicon could be controlled by changing the refractive index without any absorption loss. As one application of this effect, we developed a terahertz time delay generator that can generate a terahertz time delay by changing the temperature of the medium through which the terahertz beam passes, without the need for any mechanical delay. We demonstrated generation of a terahertz time delay of approximately 6.6 ps.     

Iron–Nitrogen‐Doped Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A highly active iron–nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotube catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is produced by employing vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA‐CNT) with a high specific surface area and iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) molecules. Pyrolyzing the composite easily transforms the adsorbed FePc molecules into a large number of iron coordinated nitrogen functionalized nanographene (Fe–N–C) structures, which serve as ORR active sites on the individual VA‐CNT surfaces. The catalyst exhibits a high ORR activity, with onset and half‐wave potentials of 0.97 and 0.79 V, respectively, versus reversible hydrogen electrode, a high selectivity of above 3.92 electron transfer number, and a high electrochemical durability, with a 17 mV negative shift of E _1/2 after 10 000 cycles in an oxygen‐saturated 0.5 m H₂SO₄ solution. The catalyst demonstrates one of the highest ORR performances in previously reported any‐nanotube‐based catalysts in acid media. The excellent ORR performance can be attributed to the formation of a greater number of catalytically active Fe–N–C centers and their dense immobilization on individual tubes, in addition to more efficient mass transport due to the mesoporous nature of the VA‐CNTs.     

Microzonation for Seismic Geotechnical Hazards and Actual Damage During the 2005 Fukuoka-Ken Seiho-Oki Earthquake

The 2005 Fukuoka-ken Seiho-oki earthquake caused damage to structures due to liquefaction, slope failure and strong shaking in Fukuoka City. One of the authors had conducted microzonation for liquefaction, slope failure and strong shaking about 17 years before the earthquake. After the earthquake, the authors compared the zoning map with the actual damage. The results showed that liquefied sites coincided fairly well with predicted zones in the reclaimed lands. However, they were slightly different in a big sand spit named Uminonakamichi. Failure occurred at several slopes inside the predicted areas, while damage to buildings occurred due to strong shaking along the Kego Fault. The damaged area was slightly different from the predicted area. Furthermore, a liquefaction analysis was conducted and the results of this analysis were compared with the results of microzonation in 1988. In this paper, the authors discuss the validity of microzonation based on this comparison.     

Measurements of water distribution in through-plane direction of PEFC by using neutron radiography

Fuel gas (hydrogen gas) and oxidant gas (air) are supplied to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Protons pass through the electrolyte membrane, and combine with oxygen to form water in the cathode reaction site. The generated water must be supplied appropriately to the membrane for proton conduction. On the other hand, the generated water may affect the fuel cell performances because of the blocking of oxygen from reaching the cathode reaction site. Therefore, water management in the PEFC is important, and water distribution during the operation in the through-plane direction has been of wide concern. In order to obtain the water distributions in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and a gas diffusion layer (GDL), a borescope system was newly employed using neutron radiography. The system could obtain the water distribution in the MEA and the GDL, and pixel size of 6.5 μm was achieved. Furthermore, the system was applied for a tilted converter system. The pixel of 1.0 μm at an angle of 81° was achieved, and improvement of the spatial resolution was confirmed.