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Physics - Applied Physics and Physics - Optics

Rapid advances in metamaterial technology are enabling the engineering of wave-matter interactions heretofore not realized and functionalities with potentially far-reaching implications for major challenges in the fields of energy conservation and radio frequency (RF) communication. We propose a visibly and RF transparent composite metasurface utilizing dielectric-metal spectrally selective coatings with high NIR control and low thermal emissivity, thus achieving a multi-functional metasurface capable of enhancing 5G communication efficiency and exhibiting energy conservation features. The proposed meta-glass yields 92% peak RF transmission at 30 GHz which corresponds to 20% and 90% enhancement when compared to plain glass and low-emissive glass substrates. This meta-glass possesses 86% peak optical transparency at $\lambda=550 nm$, $>$60% near-IR reflection, and $>$ 80% mid-IR reflection which corresponds to $\approx$ 0.2 thermal emissivity. The proposed metasurface design is highly flexible and can be tuned to operate over different frequency ranges owing to its frequency scalability. This study provides a better alternative using earth-abundant materials compared to low-emissive glass based on indium tin oxide (ITO) while boosting the efficiency of 5G communication amenable to window systems demanding simultaneous functionalities for emergent smart/energy-efficient buildings/cities and autonomous transportation applications.
Comment: 38 Pages, 16 figures

Physics - Biological Physics, Physics - Accelerator Physics, and Physics - Applied Physics

The structural and functional maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) is essential for application to pharmaceutical testing, disease modeling, and ultimately therapeutic use. Multicellular 3D-tissue platforms have improved functional maturation of hiPSC-CMs, but probing cardiac contractile properties remains challenging in a 3D environment, especially at depth and in live tissues. Using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) images, we show that hiPSC-CMs, matured and examined in a 3D environment, exhibit periodic spatial arrangement of the myofilament lattice, which has not been previously detected in hiPSC-CMs. Contractile force is found to correlate with both scattering intensity (R2=0.44) and lattice spacing (R2=0.46). Scattering intensity also correlates with lattice spacing (R2=0.81), suggestive of lower noise in our structural measurement relative to the functional measurement. Notably, we observe decreased myofilament ordering in tissues with a myofilament mutation known to lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Our results highlight the progress of human cardiac tissue engineering and enable unprecedented study of structural maturation in hiPSC-CMs.
Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, supplementary material available upon request to the lead author

Physics - Applied Physics and Quantum Physics

Phosphorus-doped diamond is relevant for applications in sensing, optoelectronics and quantum photonics, since the unique optical properties of color centers in diamond can be combined with the n-type conductivity attained by the inclusion of phosphorus. Here, we investigate the photoluminescence signal of the nitrogen-vacancy and silicon-vacancy color centers in phosphorus-doped diamond as a function of temperature starting from ambient conditions up to about 100$^\circ$ Celsius, focusing on the zero-phonon line (ZPL). We find that the wavelength and width of the ZPL of the two color centers exhibit a comparable dependence on temperature, despite the strong difference in the photoluminescence spectra. Moreover, the temperature sensitivity of the ZPL of the silicon-vacancy center is not significantly affected by phosphorus-doping, as we infer by comparison with silicon-vacancy centers in electronic-grade single-crystal diamond.
Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure

Physics - Optics and Physics - Applied Physics

Two dimensional nanomaterials like Molybdenum disulfide have been drawing a lot of interest due to their excellent nonlinear optical response. In this research we study thermal lens formation in MoS2 nanoflakes dispersion using mode mismatched pump probe configuration. Observation of the pump and probe beam intensity patterns gave visual insights on time evolution of photothermal lens formation. Effect of MoS2 nanoflakes concentration on thermo-optic properties of dispersions were studied using thermal lens spectroscopy technique. Further, a thermo-optic refraction based technique to measure thermal lens size is proposed. Thermal lens region size increased with increase in pump power. The observed thermal lens modulation is applied to demonstrate normally on all optical switch which showed excellent modulation of output beam signal by pump beam.
Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, Optical Materials Elsevier journal

Physics - Optics and Physics - Applied Physics

Graphene is a unique two-dimensional (2D) material that has been extensively investigated owing to its extraordinary photonic, electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties. Excited plasmons along its surface and other unique features are expected to play an important role in many emerging photonic technologies with drastically improved and tunable functionalities. This review is focused on presenting several recently introduced photonic phenomena based on graphene, beyond its usual linear response, such as nonlinear, active, topological, and nonreciprocal effects. The physical mechanisms and various envisioned photonic applications corresponding to these novel intriguing functionalities are also reported. The presented graphene-based technologies promise to revolutionize the field of photonics at the relatively unexplored terahertz (THz) frequency range. They are envisioned to lead to the design of compact harmonic generators, low-power wave mixers, linear and nonlinear sensors, magnet-free isolators and circulators, photonic topological insulators, modulators, compact coherent optical radiation sources, and subwavelength imaging devices.

Physics - Applied Physics and Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Energy harvesting from sun and outer space using thermoradiative devices (TRD), despite being promising renewable energy sources, are limited only to daytime and nighttime period, respectively. A system with 24-hour continuous energy generation remains an open question thus far. Here, we propose a TRD-based power generator that harvests solar energy via concentrated solar irradiation during daytime and via thermal infrared emission towards the outer space at nighttime, thus achieving the much sought-after 24-hour electrical power generation. We develop a rigorous thermodynamical model to investigate the performance characteristics, parametric optimum design, and the role of various energy loss mechanisms. Our model predicts that the TRD-based system yields a peak efficiency of 12.6\% at daytime and a maximum power density of 10.8 Wm$^{-2}$ at nighttime, thus significantly outperforming the state-of-art record-setting thermoelectric generator. These findings reveal the potential of TRD towards 24-hour electricity generation and future renewable energy technology.
Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

Physics - Applied Physics

An all-electric unmanned aerial system with both VTOL and Fixed wing capabilities is designed and optimized for long range surveillance and relief operations. The UAV is equipped with onboard computers and sensors and is capable of carrying 1kg of relief payload upto 100 Km. The entire low fidelity design process -- from concept to render -- is carried out using completely open source tools, libraries and in-house code. The challenges faced and primary differences are discussed parallelly. A comparison with commercial codes and programs is also done in some areas to give an overview of key capabilities and caveats.
Comment: 11 Pages and 19 Figures

Physics - Applied Physics

This article presents a closed form analytical solution to estimate solar receiver surface and fluid temperatures. An approximation and its domain of validity (in term of the value of a small parameter) are also proposed. These simple models are then applied to a large and a small cylindrical cavity. Finally, the model is applied to an experimental hemispherical coiled cavity.

Physics - Optics and Physics - Applied Physics

We report electroluminescence originating from L-valley transitions in n-type Ge/Si$_{0.15}$Ge$_{0.85}$ quantum cascade structures centered at 3.4 and 4.9 THz with a line broadening of $\Delta f/f \approx 0.2$. Three strain-compensated heterostructures, grown on a Si substrate by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition, have been investigated. The design is based on a single quantum well active region employing a vertical optical transition and the observed spectral features are well described by non-equilibrium Green's function calculations. The presence of two peaks highlights a suboptimal injection in the upper state of the radiative transition. Comparison of the electroluminescence spectra with similar GaAs/AlGaAs structure yields one order of magnitude lower emission efficiency.

Physics - Applied Physics

A series of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces decorated by Cu nanoparticles (NP) with gradually varied morphology were prepared by high-pressure CO2 treatment at various time spans. Combining the characterizations of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), an accurate 3-dimensional view of the morphology of the surfaces was presented. Subsequently, the wettability of the surfaces decreases near-linearly with the increase of the apparent height of the decorating NPs in both static (static contact angle) and dynamic (contact angle hysteresis) aspects. The observed tendency contradicts to the Wenzel or Cassie-Baxter model and is explained by the contribution of nanomeniscus formed between the decorating NP and the flat substrate. The capillary pressure from this meniscus is negative and results in the increase of the contact angle with the apparent height (H_N) of the Cu NPs decorating the PMMA surface. In addition, the effect of the coverage (C_N) by NPs on the wettability can be explained on the same basis. Our experiment demonstrates the important influence of the nanomeniscus on the wettability, which is usually not taken into account. The results in this work provide a comprehensive understanding of how nanostructure affects the wettability of the decorated surfaces and shed light on how to obtain certain wettability through nanostructuring of the surface morphology.
Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures

Physics - Applied Physics and Physics - Optics

Spintronic heterostructures are considered to be the new generation THz sources for their capability in producing high power and broadband THz radiation. Here, we provide a brief review on the state-of-the-art in this field. The optically excited bi- and tri-layer combinations of ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic thin films have become increasingly popular. Towards optimizing the THz conversion efficiency and broadband gapless spectrum from these THz emitters, various control parameters need to be taken into consideration. The inverse spin Hall effect in the heavy metal layer of the heterostructure is primarily responsible for the generation of THz pulses. A few new results on iron, platinum and tantalum based heterostructures have also been reported here. It is observed that the Ta(2nm)/Fe(2nm)/Pt(2nm) tri-layer heterostructure generates ~40(250)% stronger THz signal as compared to the counterpart Fe(2nm)/Pt(2nm) (Fe(3nm)/Ta(2nm)) bi-layer heterostructure.
Comment: 11pages, 7 figures

Quantum Physics, Physics - Applied Physics, and Physics - Optics

The ability of phase-change materials to reversibly and rapidly switch between two stable phases has driven their use in a number of applications such as data storage and optical modulators. Incorporating such materials into metasurfaces enables new approaches to the control of optical fields. In this article we present the design of novel switchable metasurfaces that enable the control of the nonclassical two-photon quantum interference. These structures require no static power consumption, operate at room temperature, and have high switching speed. For the first adaptive metasurface presented in this article, tunable nonclassical two-photon interference from -97.7% (anti-coalescence) to 75.48% (coalescence) is predicted. For the second adaptive geometry, the quantum interference switches from -59.42% (anti-coalescence) to 86.09% (coalescence) upon a thermally driven crystallographic phase transition. The development of compact and rapidly controllable quantum devices is opening up promising paths to brand-new quantum applications as well as the possibility of improving free space quantum logic gates, linear-optics bell experiments, and quantum phase estimation systems.

Physics - Applied Physics

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest and most aggressive cancers, remarkably resilient to current therapeutic treatments. Here, we report in vivo studies of GBM treatments based on photo-nanotherapeutics able to induce synergistic killing mechanisms. Core-shell nanoparticles have been weaponized by combining the photophysical properties of an Ir(III) complex - a new generation PDT agent - with the thermo-plasmonic effects of resonant gold nanospheres. To investigate the damages induced in GBM treated with these nanosystems and exposed to optical radiation, we recurred to the X-ray phase contrast tomography (XPCT). This high-resolution 3D imaging technique highlighted a vast devascularization process by micro-vessels disruption, which is responsible of a tumor elimination without relapse.

Physics - Applied Physics and Physics - Popular Physics

We investigate the possibility of additively manufacturing fibrous sound absorbers using fused deposition modeling. Two methods for 3D printing fibers are proposed. The fiber bridging method involves extruding the filament between two points with no underlying supports. The extrude-and-pull method involves extruding a filament droplet before pulling away the extruder rapidly to generate thin fibers. Both methods can produce fibers with aspect ratios greater than 100. Optical microscopy is used to investigate the effect of various printing parameters on the fiber characteristics. The sound absorption coefficient of samples printed using the two techniques are measured using a two-microphone normal incidence impedance tube setup. Effects of printing parameters and fiber density variables are experimentally studied. The experimental studies are supported by the Johnson-Champoux-Allard semi-empirical analytical model informed using an inverse characterization approach. The analytical model is then utilized to understand the effect of fiber parameters on the acoustical transport parameters. It is observed that the two methods result in individual fibers with distinct characteristics. On average, the fiber bridging method results in thicker fibers, which results in comparatively higher sound absorption. However, the extrude-and-pull method results in fibers with hair-like characteristics (thick base with progressively decreasing thickness) and one may easily incorporate it within existing additive manufacturing routines to add fibers to a base surface, thus opening up a new route towards fiber-enhanced multifunctional structures.
Comment: Paper currently under submission for peer review

Physics - Optics and Physics - Applied Physics

Nanophotonic entangled-photon sources are a critical building block of chip-scale quantum photonic architecture and have seen significant development over the past two decades. These sources generate photon pairs that typically span over a narrow frequency bandwidth. Generating entanglement over a wide spectral region has proven to be useful in a wide variety of applications including quantum metrology, spectroscopy and sensing, and optical communication. However, generation of broadband photon pairs with temporal coherence approaching an optical cycle on a chip is yet to be seen. Here we demonstrate generation of ultra-broadband entangled photons using spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a periodically-poled lithium niobate nanophotonic waveguide. We employ dispersion engineering to achieve a bandwidth of 100 THz (1.2 - 2 $\mu$m), at a high efficiency of 13 GHz/mW. The photons show strong temporal correlations and purity with the coincidence-to-accidental ratio exceeding $10^5$ and $>$ 98\% two-photon interference visibility. These properties together with the piezo-electric and electro-optic control and reconfigurability, make thin-film lithium niobate an excellent platform for a controllable entanglement source for quantum communication and computing, and open a path towards femtosecond metrology and spectroscopy with non-classical light on a nanophotonic chip.
Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures

Condensed Matter - Materials Science, Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics, and Physics - Applied Physics

Thermoelectric (TE) refrigeration such as Peltier cooler enables a unique opportunity in electric energy to directly convert thermal energy. Here, we propose a TE module with both refrigeration and power generation modes by utilizing asymmetric surfaces of a magnetic topological insulator (quantum anomalous Hall insulator) with a periodic array of hollows filled with two different dielectrics. Based on the Boltzmann transport theory, we show that its efficiency, i.e., the dimensionless figure of merit ZT exceeds 1 in the low-temperature regime below 300 K. The proposed device could be utilized as a heat management device that requires precise temperature control in small-scale cooling.
Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures

Physics - Applied Physics and Physics - Optics

We studied the injection-locking properties of a resonant-tunneling-diode terahertz oscillator in the small-signal injection regime with a frequency-stabilized continuous THz wave. The linewidth of the emission spectrum dramatically decreased to less than 120 mHz (HWHM) from 4.4 MHz in the free running state as a result of the injection locking. We experimentally determined the amplitude of injection voltage at the antenna caused by the injected THz wave. The locking range was proportional to the injection amplitude and consistent with Adler's model. As increasing the injection amplitude, we observed decrease of the noise component in the power spectrum, which manifests the free-running state, and alternative increase of the injection-locked component. The noise component and the injection-locked component had the same power at the threshold injection amplitude as small as $5\times10^{-4}$ of the oscillation amplitude. This threshold behavior can be qualitatively explained by Maffezzoni's model of noise reduction in general limit-cycle oscillators.
Comment: The following article has been submitted to APL Photonics

Physics - Optics and Physics - Applied Physics

Materials with strong $\chi^{(2)}$ optical nonlinearity, especially lithium niobate, play a critical role in building optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). However, chip-scale integration of low-loss $\chi^{(2)}$ materials remains challenging and limits the threshold power of on-chip $\chi^{(2)}$ OPO. Here we report the first on-chip lithium niobate optical parametric oscillator at the telecom wavelengths using a quasi-phase matched, high-quality microring resonator, whose threshold power ($\sim$30 $\mu$W) is 400 times lower than that in previous $\chi^{(2)}$ integrated photonics platforms. An on-chip power conversion efficiency of 11% is obtained at a pump power of 93 $\mu$W. The OPO wavelength tuning is achieved by varying the pump frequency and chip temperature. With the lowest power threshold among all on-chip OPOs demonstrated so far, as well as advantages including high conversion efficiency, flexibility in quasi-phase matching and device scalability, the thin-film lithium niobate OPO opens new opportunities for chip-based tunable classical and quantum light sources and provides an potential platform for realizing photonic neural networks.

Physics - Applied Physics, Condensed Matter - Disordered Systems and Neural Networks, and Condensed Matter - Materials Science

Hole doping in Nd${}_{2}$NiO${}_{4.00}$ can be either achieved by substituting the trivalent Nd atoms by bivalent alkaline earth metals or by oxygen doping, yielding Nd${}_{2}$NiO${}_{4+\delta}$. In this study, we investigated the interplay between oxygen and spin ordering for a low oxygen doping concentration i.e. Nd${}_{2}$NiO${}_{4.10}$. Although the extra oxygen doping level remains rather modest with only one out of 20 possible interstitial tetrahedral lattice sites occupied, we observed by single crystal neutron diffraction the presence of a complex 3D modulated structure related to oxygen ordering already at ambient, the modulation vectors being $\pm$2/13\textit{\textbf{a*}}$\pm$3/13\textit{\textbf{b*}}, $\pm$3/13\textit{\textbf{b*}}$\pm$2/13\textit{\textbf{b*}} and $\pm$1/5\textit{\textbf{a*}}$\pm$1/2\textit{\textbf{c*}} and satellite reflections up to fourth order. Temperature dependent neutron diffraction studies indicate the coexistence of oxygen and magnetic ordering below T${}_{N}$ $\simeq$ 48 K, the wave vector of the Ni sublattice being \textbf{\textit{k}}=(100). In addition, magnetic satellite reflections adapt exactly the same modulation vectors as found for the oxygen ordering, evidencing a unique coexistence of 3D modulated ordering for spin and oxygen ordering in Nd${}_{2}$NiO${}_{4.10}$. Temperature dependent measurements of magnetic intensities suggest two magnetic phase transitions below 48 K and 20 K, indicating two distinct onsets of magnetic ordering for the Ni and Nd sublattice, respectively.
Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, supplemetary material linked in the paper

Physics - Applied Physics

Applicability of associated plasticity for particulate materials such as soils does not yield satisfactory results when Coulomb's theory of shear strength of soils is assumed, and the yield function derived accordingly is used to define both the stress state and the direction of plastic flow. The limitation mainly stems from the fact that Coulomb's theory (and its derivatives) is a simplification that intentionally ignores deformation characteristics that manifest from the particulate nature of such materials. It is thus customary to apply a branch of plasticity called non-associated plasticity for soils and similar materials. In the non-associated plasticity framework, yield functions and plastic potential functions are different. The former defines the mobilization of the stress state while the later defines the direction of plastic flow. For soils, stress-dilatancy theories have become central in the formulation of non-associated flow rules. In this paper, cyclic stress-dilatancy relations are derived based on complementarity hypothesis of stress-dilatancy conjugates. Both loading and unloading are explicitly considered. Then, yield functions are derived based on the resulting stress-dilatancy relations. In so doing, the resulting yield function is rendered with a quality to be used for the modelling of deformation behavior of soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. The newly derived yield functions are called Associated Cyclic Stress Dilatancy Associated (ACStD) yield functions. The theoretical framework is established first for special cases of deformation modes-plane strain and axisymmetric. The framework is generalized for considering Lode angle dependency of the yield function and extending the Matusoka-Nakai criterion.
Comment: 24 pages, 14 figures