Recent progress in GeSi electro-absorption modulators

Electro-absorption from GeSi heterostructures is receiving growing attention as a high performance optical modulator for short distance optical interconnects. Ge incorporation with Si allows strong modulation mechanism using the Franz–Keldysh effect and the quantum-confined Stark effect from bulk and quantum well structures at telecommunication wavelengths. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge and the on-going challenges concerning the development of high performance GeSi electro-absorption modulators. We also provide feasible future prospects concerning this research topic.     

Transformation champ proche — champ lointain bidimensionnelle et monodimensionnelle appliquée à des mesures de SER

In high frequency thercs measurement of large target must be done at important distances, so the distance of measurement (Fraunhofer’s distance) R is given by R ≥ 2d² /λ where d is the tranversal length of the target and λ the radiation wavelength. In this paper we present a method for target that are large relative to the curvature of the spherical wavefront and the curvature of the cylindrical wavefront. A two-dimensional analytical algorithm transforms the spherical wave (near-field) measurement into the desired plane wave (far-field) and a one-dimensionnal analytical algorithm transforms the cylindrical wave (near-field) measurement into the desired plane wave (far-field). We present some results on simulations and measurements. A comparison of one-dimensional and two-dimensional methods demonstrates the efficiency of the two dimensional methods.     

Experimental Investigation of the Impact of Cathode Grade on Sludge Formation at the Cathode Block-Aluminum Interface of Hall–Héroult Cells

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - The presence of resistive sludge on the cathode surface in Hall–Héroult cells can increase the aluminum production costs and reduces cell...     

All-Electrical Detection of the Spin-Charge Conversion in Nanodevices Based on SrTiO3 2-D Electron Gases

The Magnetoelectric Spin-Orbit (MESO) technology aims to bring logic into memory by combining a ferromagnet with a magnetoelectric (ME) element for information writing, and a spin-orbit (SO) element for information read-out through spin-charge conversion. Among candidate SO materials to achieve a large MESO output signal, oxide Rashba two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) have shown very large spin-charge conversion efficiencies, albeit mostly in spin-pumping experiments. Here, all-electrical spin-injection and spin-charge conversion experiments in nanoscale devices harnessing the inverse Edelstein effect of SrTiO₃ 2DEGs are reported. Nanodevices aredesigned, patterned, and fabricated in which a spin current injected from a cobalt layer into the 2DEG is converted into a charge current. The spin-charge conversion signal is optimized by applying back-gate voltages and studied its temperature evolution. It further disentangles the inverse Edelstein contribution from spurious effects such as the planar Hall effect, the anomalous Hall effect, or the anisotropic magnetoresistance. The combination of non-volatility and high energy efficiency of these devices can potentially lead to new technology paradigms for beyond-CMOS computing architectures.     

Revisiting micro hot-embossing with moulds in non-conventional materials

Manufacturing moulds in non-metallic tooling materials using non-conventional structuring techniques is explored for rapid and/or alternative tooling for hot-embossing of polymers. Some challenges and advantages of producing embossing tools by deep reactive ion etching in silicon and/or replica-casting in poly(dimethylsiloxane) and utilizing them in the replication process are highlighted.     

First ZnGa2O4 transparent ceramics

Transparent polycrystalline ZnGa₂O₄ ceramics are synthesized, for the first time, by combining high-energy ball milling, solid-state reaction and spark plasma sintering. They appear transparent in both the visible and near infrared (up to 9 μm) ranges after a post-SPS annealing in air converting the raw semiconductor into an electrical insulator. The maximum of transmittance is reached in the near infrared region, at around 2.5 μm, with a value of 78 % (1 mm thick sample) close to the maximum value of transmittance previously measured for single crystals. These transparent ceramics present a classic cubic spinel ZnGa₂O₄ structure and a dense microstructure (> 99 %) attained without sintering aids, with an average grain size of 600 nm and a random orientation of the crystallites. TEM observations performed on thin foils have revealed limited nanometer scale intergranular porosity which does not affect much the transparency. As a proof of interest, red long-lasting luminescence arising from the entire sample volume is observed in these Cr³⁺ doped transparent ceramics. This innovative work is anticipated to further drive the development of transparent ZnGa₂O₄ ceramics towards a wider range of performing optical applications such as laser emission.     

A Facile Access to New Polymethylmethacrylate-Anchored Ferrocene Substituted Nickel(II) Unsymmetrical Schiff Base Complexes: Synthesis and Characterization

This paper discloses two new side-chain metallopolymers containing an unsymmetrical organometallic Schiff base complex of Ni(II) linked to a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix. The neutral ferrocene substituted Schiff base complex 1, Ni{CpFe(η⁵-C₅H₄)-C(O)CH=C(CH₃)N–o-C₆H₄N=CH-(2-O,5-OH-C₆H₃)} where (Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅), was synthesized via template reaction by condensation of the tridentate half-unit metalloligand Fc-C(O)CH=C(CH₃)-N(H)-o-C₆H₄NH₂ (Fc = ferrocenyl = CpFe(η⁵-C₅H₄)) with 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of nickel(II) acetate tetrahydrate. The binuclear Schiff base complex of Ni(II) containing an aromatic free hydroxyl group was reacted under basic conditions with PMMA to afford, upon trans-esterification reaction, metallopolymers 2 (complex 1 monomeric unit/PMMA = 1/5) and 3 (complex 1 monomeric unit/PMMA = 1/3). Elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic voltammetry were utilized to characterize the newly synthetized compounds. Surface morphology of the metallopolymer film of 2 was studied using atomic force microscopy.     

Observation of Fourier transform near-infrared vibrational circular dichroism to 6150 cm-1

We report here the first measurement of near-infrared (NIR) vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) with Fourier transform (FT) instrumentation. The measurements were carried out using a commercial rapid-scan FT-IR VCD spectrometer modified for operation in the NIR region between 3750 and 6150 cm-1. Overtone and combination band VCD intensities, first reported by Keiderling and Stephens using dispersive VCD instrumentation in 1976, were reproduced with equivalent signal quality and spectral resolution using collection times of only a few minutes. These results offer substantial promise for the routine use of rapid-scan FT instrumentation for the measurement of overtone and combination band VCD spectra in the NIR region.