Annealing Effect in GaDyN on Optical and Magnetic Properties

The annealing effect on the optical and magnetic properties of the GaDyN layers was studied. The PL intensities of yellow and green bands as well as the intra-4f orbital transition of Dy³⁺ ions were found to decrease for the samples annealed at 900 and 1000 °C. It is supposed that the intra-4f orbital transition is related to the broad peak luminescence coming from defects. Increasing the annealing temperature, the magnetization becomes smaller. It is considerable that the number of electrons coming from defects was reduced by the annealing treatments and that the ferromagnetism in GaDyN is attributed as carrier induced ferromagnetism.     

Power characteristics of unsteadily forward–reverse rotating impellers in an unbaffled aerated agitated vessel

Power characteristics of an unbaffled aerated agitated vessel with unsteadily forward‐reverse rotating impellers, ie a new type of gas–liquid agitator named ‘AJITER’, treating viscous Newtonian liquids were studied experimentally. Measurements were first made on the agitation torque, ie the torque on the drive shaft on which forward–reverse rotating impellers with four delta‐type blades were attached, and the data obtained were analyzed by fitting them to an equation consisting of two terms with respect to the resistance of the fluid, one due to viscous drag and the other due to added moment of inertia. The effects of operating conditions and physical properties of liquids on the drag and added moment of inertia coefficients were then evaluated, and empirical relationships which estimate values of these coefficients, useful to predict the unsteady behavior and magnitude of agitation torque, were presented. Furthermore, equations were developed for estimating the average and maximum power consumptions as a function of the drag and added moment of inertia coefficients. Prediction of respective power levels in AJITER by these equations was also discussed. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Coupling-loss reduction of a vertically coupled microring resonator filter by spot-size-matched busline waveguides

To improve the input-output coupling loss of a vertically coupled microring resonator filter, we fabricated microring resonators on an antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) with a large spot size and on the rectangular busline waveguide with a spot-size transformer. The spot size and the tapered structure were optimally designed from the viewpoint of spot-size matching to single-mode fibers and the reduction of radiation loss. Clear dropping responses were demonstrated for the ARROW-based microring resonator filters, and the coupling loss was successfully reduced by 22 dB.     

Fail-safe light transmitting SiC fiber-reinforced spinel matrix optomechanical composite

A light transmitting Optomechanical Composite was fabricated by incorporating SiC (SCS-6) fibers into optically transparent MgAl₂O₄ ceramics. The fibers were aligned unidirectionally in the matrix with a spacing of 1 to 4 mm to allow light transmittance between the fibers: resulting fiber volume content was from 0.75 to 0.19 vol%. The total and in-line light transmittance of the matrix and the composite was measured in the visible/near-IR wavelength region. The light transmittance of the composite was found to be decreasing with increasing fiber volume fraction, however, even the composite with the highest fiber volume fraction has a light transmittance of 25–50% in the visible wavelength region. Although the optical transparency of the matrix becomes slightly lower by the incorporation of the opaque fibers, its catastrophic failure is prevented by the bridging effect of the intact fibers, introducing the fail-safe nature to the brittle ceramic material. To obtain this fail-safe mechanism, the minimum fiber volume fraction was 0.37 vol% in the present material system.     

Magnetic Torque Measurements on Bi2201 Single Crystal in High Magnetic Fields

The magnetic field direction dependence of the magnetic torque in the superconducting state of Bi ₂ Sr _1.65 La _0.35 CuO ₆₊ (Bi2201) single crystal has been measured in several static magnetic fields up to 200 kOe. The applied field dependence of the anisotropy parameter, , defined by the square root of the effective mass ratio has been obtained by fitting the magnetic torque curves at 17 K by means of the effective mass model. For Bi ₂ Sr ₂ CaCu ₂ O ₈₊ (Bi2212), the values up to 210 kOe were reported previously. At each field, for Bi2201 is larger than that for Bi2212. Since the value decreases as the field increases both for Bi2201 and Bi2212, the reduction of by the application of the high magnetic field is considered to be common for Bi-based layered superconductors.     

Discrete correlation processor as a building core of a digital optical computing system: architecture and optoelectronic embodiment

In this paper we present a general-purpose discrete correlation processor (DCP) expected to be the building core block of a digital optical computing system. The DCP-1 is embodied by optoelectronic devices such as a VCSEL and a complementary metal-oxide silicon photodetector. The application targets of the DCP-1 are optical interconnection and various types of digital optical computing. It is expected that digital optical computing techniques coupled with the optoelectronic technology will provide large capability and flexibility in information processing. Introduction of a processing scheme of optical array logic enlarges the applicable field of the DCP-1 as well as its processing capability. With the experimental DCP-1 a bit error rate smaller than 10(-9) was obtained for A . B? operation under a 500-kHz clock rate.     

Finite element iterative techniques for determining the interface boundary between Laplace and Poisson domains—characteristic analysis of a field effect transistor

Two kinds of techniques for solving a shape determination problem are proposed. The determination of the interface boundary between two domains governed by Poisson and Laplace equations under the compatible and constraint condition is considered. Influence coefficient and inverse variational approaches are examined by using the iterative finite element procedure. A two-dimensional model of a junction-type field effect transistor is a test example. The determination of its interface boundary and the prediction of the potential distribution and static characteristic are demonstrated.     

Antioxidant action of a lipophilic nitroxyl radical,cyclohexane-1-spiro-2′-(4′-oxyimidazolidine-1′-oxyl)-5′-spiro-1″-cyclohexane,against lipid peroxidation under hypoxic conditions

Nitroxyl radicals are known to act as radical scavenging antioxidants. In the present study, a lipophilic nitroxyl radical, cyclohexane-1-spiro-2′-(4′-oxyimidazolidine-1′-oxyl)-5′-spiro-1″-cyclohexane (nitroxyl radical I) was synthesized and its antioxidant capacity was assessed in comparison with a hydrophilic nitroxyl radical, 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (Tempol). Both nitroxyl radical I and Tempol inhibited methyl linoleate oxidation induced by free radicals, and the efficacy increased with decreasing partial pressure of oxygen, the effect being more pronounced for nitroxyl radical I than Tempol. Their hydroxylamines inhibited lipid peroxidation more effectively than their corresponding parent nitroxyl radicals. In liposomal membranes, a synergistic effect was observed in the combination of nitroxyl radical I with ascorbic acid, whereas only an additive effect was observed between Tempol and ascorbic acid. The present study suggests that nitroxyl radical I and its hydroxylamine may act as potent antioxidants, especially in combination with ascorbic acid under hypoxic conditions.     

Passively driven integrated microfluidic system for separation of motile sperm

This paper describes a self-contained integrated microfluidic system that can separate motile sperm from small samples that are difficult to handle using conventional sperm-sorting techniques. The device isolates motile sperm from nonmotile sperm and other cellular debris, based on the ability of motile sperm to cross streamlines in a laminar fluid stream. The device is small, simple, and disposable yet is an integrated system complete with sample inlets, outlets, sorting channel, and a novel passively driven pumping system that provides a steady flow of liquid; it requires no external power source or controls. The device fulfills a need in clinical settings where small amounts of sperm need to be sorted. It also opens the way for convenient bioassays based on sperm motility including at-home motile sperm tests.     

Spider Mites Assess Predation Risk by Using the Odor of Injured Conspecifics

When a predatory mite, Amblyseius womersleyi is present, Tetranychus kanzawai takes refuge on its webs during a quiescent stage. To examine the factors responsible for the antipredator behavior of T. kanzawai, we exposed T. kanzawai to the odor of conspecifics, A. womersleyi, and both T. kanzawai and A. womersleyi. The proportion of T. kanzawai females that took refuge was significantly higher when they were exposed to the odor of `both T. kanzawai and A. womersleyi.' Furthermore, the proportion of T. kanzawai females that took refuge was significantly higher when they were exposed to injured conspecifics than to intact conspecifics. These results suggest that T. kanzawai assesses predation risk, at least in part, by using the odor of injured conspecifics.