Search Results
Fabrication of a new photo-sensitized solar cell using TiO2\ZnO Nanocomposite synthesized via a modified sol-gel Technique
2020, Mahdi Rheima, Ahmed, Hadi Hussain, Dhia, Jawad Abed, Hayder
The current research synthesized was carried out using a modified solgel Technique for titanium dioxide ( TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite. The morphology and optical properties of the synthesized nanocomposite were examined using a transmission electron microscope ( TEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The structure of the synthesized nanocomposite was proved using X-ray Diffraction(XRD). The particle size of the ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites was found to be range between 11 to 27.37 nm. The product of TEM has proof of the inclusion in the ZnO matrix of spherical TiO2particles. Also found were TiO2 sections attached to the ZnO-like rodlike particles., the ZnO/TiO2 Nanocomposites had better optical absorbing properties. The nanocomposite has been used to create a new photosensitizer solar cell with the efficiency of energy conversion of approximately 4.6%, using (E)-ethyl 4- ((4-nitrobenzylidene)) aminobenzoate as organic photo-sensitized (OPS) by (ITO/TiO2\ZnO nanocomposite/POS/iodine/silver (Ag) nanofilm/ITO).
Spectrometer‐free Optical Hydrogen Sensing Based on Fano‐like Spatial Distribution of Transmission in a Metal−Insulator−Metal Plasmonic Doppler Grating
2021, Chen, Yi‐Ju, Lin, Fan‐Cheng, Singh, Ankit Kumar, Ouyang, Lei, Huang, Jer‐Shing
Optical nanosensors are promising for hydrogen sensing because they are small, free from spark generation, and feasible for remote optical readout. Conventional optical nanosensors require broadband excitation and spectrometers, rendering the devices bulky and complex. An alternative is spatial intensity-based optical sensing, which only requires an imaging system and a smartly designed platform to report the spatial distribution of analytical optical signals. Here, a spatial intensity-based hydrogen sensing platform is presented based on Fano-like spatial distribution of the transmission in a Pd-Al2O3-Au metal-insulator-metal plasmonic Doppler grating (MIM-PDG). The MIM-PDG manifests the Fano resonance as an asymmetric spatial transmission intensity profile. The absorption of hydrogen changes the spatial Fano-like transmission profiles, which can be analyzed with a “spatial” Fano resonance model and the extracted Fano resonance parameters can be used to establish analytical calibration lines. While gratings sensitive to hydrogen absorption are suitable for hydrogen sensing, hydrogen insensitive gratings are also found, which provide an unperturbed reference signal and may find applications in nanophotonic devices that require a stable optical response under fluctuating hydrogen atmosphere. The MIM-PDG platform is a spectrometer-free and intensity-based optical sensor that requires only an imaging system, making it promising for cellphone-based optical sensing applications. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Optimized diamond inverted nanocones for enhanced color center to fiber coupling
2021, Torun, Cem Güney, Schneider, Philipp-Immanuel, Hammerschmidt, Martin, Burger, Sven, Munns, Joseph H. D., Schröder, Tim
Nanostructures can be used for boosting the light outcoupling of color centers in diamond; however, the fiber coupling performance of these nanostructures is rarely investigated. Here, we use a finite element method for computing the emission from color centers in inverted nanocones and the overlap of this emission with the propagation mode in a single-mode fiber. Using different figures of merit, the inverted nanocone parameters are optimized to obtain maximal fiber coupling efficiency, free-space collection efficiency, or rate enhancement. The optimized inverted nanocone designs show promising results with 66% fiber coupling or 83% free-space coupling efficiency at the tin-vacancy center zero-phonon line wavelength of 619 nm. Moreover, when evaluated for broadband performance, the optimized designs show 55% and 76% for fiber coupling and free-space efficiencies, respectively, for collecting the full tin-vacancy emission spectrum at room temperature. An analysis of fabrication insensitivity indicates that these nanostructures are robust against imperfections. For maximum emission rate into a fiber mode, a design with a Purcell factor of 2.34 is identified. Finally, possible improvements offered by a hybrid inverted nanocone, formed by patterning into two different materials, are investigated and increase the achievable fiber coupling efficiency to 71%. © 2021 Author(s).
Photobiomodulation of lymphatic drainage and clearance: Perspective strategy for augmentation of meningeal lymphatic functions
2020, Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya, Oxana, Abdurashitov, Arkady, Dubrovsky, Alexander, Klimova, Maria, Agranovich, Ilana, Terskov, Andrey, Shirokov, Alexander, Vinnik, Valeria, Kuzmina, Anna, Lezhnev, Nikita, Blokhina, Inna, Shnitenkova, Anastassia, Tuchin, Valery, Rafailov, Edik, Kurths, Jurgen
There is a hypothesis that augmentation of the drainage and clearing function of the meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) might be a promising therapeutic target for preventing neurological diseases. Here we investigate mechanisms of photobiomodulation (PBM, 1267 nm) of lymphatic drainage and clearance. Our results obtained at optical coherence tomography (OCT) give strong evidence that low PBM doses (5 and 10 J/cm2) stimulate drainage function of the lymphatic vessels via vasodilation (OCT data on the mesenteric lymphatics) and stimulation of lymphatic clearance (OCT data on clearance of gold nanorods from the brain) that was supported by confocal imaging of clearance of FITC-dextran from the cortex via MLVs. We assume that PBM-mediated relaxation of the lymphatic vessels can be possible mechanisms underlying increasing the permeability of the lymphatic endothelium that allows molecules transported by the lymphatic vessels and explain PBM stimulation of lymphatic drainage and clearance. These findings open new strategies for the stimulation of MLVs functions and non-pharmacological therapy of brain diseases.
Distribution of Cracks in a Chain of Atoms at Low Temperature
2021, Jansen, Sabine, König, Wolfgang, Schmidt, Bernd, Theil, Florian
We consider a one-dimensional classical many-body system with interaction potential of Lennard–Jones type in the thermodynamic limit at low temperature 1/β∈(0,∞). The ground state is a periodic lattice. We show that when the density is strictly smaller than the density of the ground state lattice, the system with N particles fills space by alternating approximately crystalline domains (clusters) with empty domains (voids) due to cracked bonds. The number of domains is of the order of Nexp(−βesurf/2) with esurf>0 a surface energy. For the proof, the system is mapped to an effective model, which is a low-density lattice gas of defects. The results require conditions on the interactions between defects. We succeed in verifying these conditions for next-nearest neighbor interactions, applying recently derived uniform estimates of correlations.
Tailored Disorder in Photonics: Learning from Nature
2021, Rothammer, Maximilian, Zollfrank, Cordt, Busch, Kurt, Freymann, Georg von
Disorder and photonics have long been seen as natural adversaries and designers of optical systems have often driven systems to perfection by minimizing deviations from the ideal design. Especially in the field of photonic crystals and metamaterials but also for optical circuits, disorder has been avoided as a nuisance for many years. However, starting from the very robust structural colors found in nature, scientists learn to analyze and tailor disorder to achieve functionalities beyond what is possible with perfectly ordered or ideal systems alone. This review article covers theoretical and materials aspects of tailored disorder as well as experimental results. Furthermore selected examples are highlighted in greater detail, for which the intentional use of disorder adds additional functionality or provides novel functionality impossible without disorder. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
Local Well-Posedness of Strong Solutions to the Three-Dimensional Compressible Primitive Equations
2021, Liu, Xin, Titi, Edriss S.
This work is devoted to establishing the local-in-time well-posedness of strong solutions to the three-dimensional compressible primitive equations of atmospheric dynamics. It is shown that strong solutions exist, are unique, and depend continuously on the initial data, for a short time in two cases: with gravity but without vacuum, and with vacuum but without gravity. © 2021, The Author(s).
Plasmonic Properties of Colloidal Assemblies
2021, Rossner, Christian, König, Tobias A.F., Fery, Andreas
The assembly of metal nanoparticles into supracolloidal structures unlocks optical features, which can go beyond synergistic combinations of the properties of their primary building units. This is due to inter-particle plasmonic coupling effects, which give rise to emergent properties. The motivation for this progress report is twofold: First, it is described how simulation approaches can be used to predict and understand the optical properties of supracolloidal metal clusters. These simulations may form the basis for the rational design of plasmonic assembly architectures, based on the desired functional cluster properties, and they may also spark novel material designs. Second, selected scalable state-of-the-art preparative strategies based on synthetic polymers to guide the supracolloidal assembly are discussed. These routes also allow for equipping the assembly structures with adaptive properties, which in turn enables (inter-)active control over the cluster optical properties. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
Auger- and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy at Metallic Li Material: Chemical Shifts Related to Sample Preparation, Gas Atmosphere, and Ion and Electron Beam Effects
2022, Oswald, Steffen
Li-based batteries are a key element in reaching a sustainable energy economy in the near future. The understanding of the very complex electrochemical processes is necessary for the optimization of their performance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is an accepted method used to improve understanding around the chemical processes at the electrode surfaces. Nevertheless, its application is limited because the surfaces under investigation are mostly rough and inhomogeneous. Local elemental analysis, such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), could assist XPS to gain more insight into the chemical processes at the surfaces. In this paper, some challenges in using electron spectroscopy are discussed, such as binding energy (BE) referencing for the quantitative study of chemical shifts, gas atmospheric influences, or beam damage (including both AE and XP spectroscopy). Carefully prepared and surface-modified metallic lithium material is used as model surface, considering that Li is the key element for most battery applications.
Revealing all states of dewetting of a thin gold layer on a silicon surface by nanosecond laser conditioning
2021, Ernst, Owen C., Uebel, David, Kayser, Stefan, Lange, Felix, Teubner, Thomas, Boeck, Torsten
Dewetting is a ubiquitous phenomenon which can be applied to the laser synthesis of nanoparticles. A classical spinodal dewetting process takes place in four successive states, which differ from each other in their morphology. In this study all states are revealed by interaction of pulsed nanosecond UV laser light with thin gold layers with thicknesses between 1 nm and 10 nm on (100) silicon wafers. The specific morphologies of the dewetting states are discussed with particular emphasis on the state boundaries. The main parameter determining which state is formed is not the duration for which the gold remains liquid, but rather the input energy provided by the laser. This shows that each state transition has a separate measurable activation energy. The temperature during the nanosecond pulses and the duration during which the gold remains liquid was determined by simulation using the COMSOL Multiphysics® software package. Using these calculations, an accurate local temperature profile and its development over time was simulated. An analytical study of the morphologies and formed structures was performed using Minkowski measures. With aid of this tool, the laser induced structures were compared with thermally annealed samples, with perfectly ordered structures and with perfectly random structures. The results show that both, structures of the laser induced and the annealed samples, strongly resemble the perfectly ordered structures. This reveals a close relationship between these structures and suggests that the phenomenon under investigation is indeed a spinodal dewetting generated by an internal material wave function. The purposeful generation of these structures and the elucidation of the underlying mechanism of dewetting by short pulse lasers may assist the realisation of various technical elements such as nanowires in science and industry. © 2020