SEARCH · Searcharxiv

Results for “physics.app-ph”

Search indexed arXiv papers on artificial intelligence, large language models, computer vision and robotics. Read source abstracts and follow links to arXiv.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Tunable large free spectral range microring resonators in lithium niobate on insulator

Microring resonators are critical photonic components used in filtering, sensing and nonlinear applications. To date, the development of high performance microring resonators in LNOI has been limited by the sidewall angle, roughness and etch depth of fabricated rib waveguides. We present large free spectral range microring resonators patterned via electron beam lithography in high-index contrast $Z$-cut LNOI. Our microring resonators achieve an FSR greater than 5 nm for ring radius of 30 $μ$m and a large 3 dB resonance bandwidth. We demonstrate 3 pm/V electro-optic tuning of a 70 $μ$m-radius ring. This work will enable efficient on-chip filtering in LNOI and precede future, more complex, microring resonator networks and nonlinear field enhancement applications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Nonlinear optical properties of two and three-dimensional hybrid perovskite using single beam F-scan technique at 1064 nm

In this paper two-photon absorption coefficient $β$ and nonlinear refractive index ${n}_{2}$ have been measured at 1064 nm for a new two-dimensional (CH3(CH2)2NH3)2(CH3NH3)2Pb3Br10 hybrid perovskite. The nonlinear optical properties were measured using transmission and reflection F-scan techniques. As a reference, a three-dimensional CH3NH3PbBr3 has been used. As expected, the values obtained for ${n}_{2}$ and $β$ show a difference between these two materials. The figure of merit for both, three dimensional and two-dimensional perovskites are F=0.31 and F=0.04, respectively, implying that these materials can be used in photonics applications such as optical limiting devices and all-optical switching.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Broadband Circular-to-Linear Polarization Conversion of Terahertz Waves Using Self-Complementary Metasurfaces

In this work, we theoretically and experimentally study the conversion from a circularly polarized plane electromagnetic wave into a linearly polarized transmitted one using anisotropic self-complementary metasurfaces. For this purpose, a metasurface design operable at sub-terahertz frequencies is proposed and investigated in the range of 230-540 GHz. The metasurface is composed of alternating complementary rectangular patches and apertures patterned in an aluminum layer deposited on a thin polypropylene film. The term \textit{self-complementary} implies that the pattern is invariant with respect to its inversion (with some translation). Our study shows that the translational symmetry of the metasurface results in unusual and useful electromagnetic properties under illumination with circularly polarized radiation beams. In particular, alongside with broadband circular-to-linear conversion, the transmitted wave exhibits a frequency independent magnitude, while its polarization angle gradually changes with frequency that paves the way for new beam-splitting applications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Anomalous direction for skyrmion bubble motion

Magnetic skyrmions are localized topological excitations that behave as particles and can be mobile, with great potential for novel data storage devices. In this work, the current-induced dynamics of large skyrmion bubbles is studied. When skyrmion motion in the direction opposite to the electron flow is observed, this is usually interpreted as a perpendicular spin current generated by the spin Hall effect exerting a torque on the chiral Néel skyrmion. By designing samples in which the direction of the net generated spin current can be carefully controlled, we surprisingly show that skyrmion motion is always against the electron flow, irrespective of the net vertical spin-current direction. We find that a negative bulk spin-transfer torque is the most plausible explanation for the observed results, which is qualitatively justified by a simple model that captures the essential behaviour. These findings demonstrate that claims about the skyrmion chirality based on their current-induced motion should be taken with great caution.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Beyond 100 nm Resolution in 3D Laser Lithography: Post Processing Solutions

Laser polymerization has emerged as a direct writing technique allowing the fabrication of complex 3D structures with microscale resolution. The technique provides rapid prototyping capabilities for a broad range of applications, but to meet the growing interest in 3D nanoscale structures the resolution limits need to be pushed beyond the 100 nm benchmark, which is challenging in practical implementations. As a possible path towards this goal, a post processing of laser polymerized structures is presented. Precise control of the cross-sectional dimensions of structural elements as well as tuning of an overall size of the entire 3D structure was achieved by combining isotropic plasma etching and pyrolysis. The smallest obtainable feature sizes are mostly limited by the mechanical properties of the polymerized resist and the geometry of 3D structure. Thus the demonstrated post processing steps open new avenues to explore free form 3D structures at the nanoscale.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Low-Cost and Low-Weight Horn and Reflector Antennas through 3D Printing

The revolution that wireless communication is suffering during the last decades has increased the need for antennas where performances such as lightweight, rapid manufacturing and portability run in parallel with their electric performance. The maker revolution in which 3D printers can help manufacturing customized, high performance, lightweight and rapid manufacturing antennas is a fact to be explored. This paper discusses the design, simulation and 3D printing of an offaxis reflector antenna. The proposed design is composed of a parabolic reflector and an X band circular horn antenna as a feed. By adding a dielectric rod waveguide (DRW) to the feed, a rotationally symmetric radiation pattern, similar to the one with a corrugated horn, is achieved.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Spectrally-tunable Dielectric Grating-based Metasurface for Broadband Planar Light Concentration

The energy consumption of buildings is increasing at a rapid pace due to urbanization, while net-zero energy buildings powered by renewable sources offer a green and sustainable solution. However, the limited rooftop space available on skyscrapers and multi-story buildings poses a challenge for large-scale integration of solar photovoltaic modules. Conventional photovoltaics solutions such as silicon solar panels block the visible light from entering the building rending them unfeasible to cover all building surfaces. Here, we demonstrate a novel dielectric metasurface (based-on silicon nitride grating) acting as a planar light concentrator. We integrate this functional device onto a window glass transmitting visible light while simultaneously guiding the near infrared portion (NIR) of sunlight to the edges of the glass window where it can be converted to electricity by a small PV module. Utilizing the grating design flexibility, we tune the spectra to enable guiding of the near NIR sunlight portion and realize polarization independence demonstrated using finite difference time domain simulations. Experimentally, we observe about 5.25% of optical guiding efficiency in the NIR region (700-1000 nm), leaving majority of the visible portion to be transmitted for natural room lighting. Integrating the solar cell at the window edge, we find a power conversion efficiency of about 4.2% of NIR light on a prototype of area 25 mm 2. We confirm that the majority of the loss is due to the absorption, scattering and fabrication non-uniformity over large area which can be further optimized in future. Such a functional window combining renewable energy generation, with room lighting, and building-envelope reduction could mitigate urban heat-islanding issues of modern cities.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Topological anomalies in the off-diagonal Ehrenfest theorem and their role on optical transitions in solar cells

We analytically demonstrate the emergence of surface non-Hermitian boundary contributions that appear in an extended form of the quantum Ehrenfest theorem and are crucial (although so far overlooked) in the calculation of optical matrix elements that govern the optical transitions in semiconductors, e.g. solar cells. Their inevitable existence, strongly related to the boundary conditions of a given quantum mechanical problem, is far-reaching in the sense that they play a crucial role in the dynamics of solar absorption and the corresponding optical transitions that follow. Processes like optical transitions in localized and delocalized states and probabilities of intermolecular transitions can be investigated through this generalized off-diagonal Ehrenfest theorem, employed in the present work for the first time. An explicit demonstration of bulk-boundary correspondence is shown, as the extended Ehrenfest theorem can be separated into bulk and surface contributions, each behaving separately from the other, but at the end collaborating to give the correct time-derivative of the desired optical element; this paves the way for future application of the extended theorem to optical transitions in topologically nontrivial quantum systems. It is also demonstrated through two examples in the literature as well as through a new example (of a system exhibiting the Integer Quantum Hall Effect) that non-Hermitian boundary terms (that have been designated "topological anomalies" in the mathematical literature) may be expected to be quantized, especially in topologically nontrivial quantum systems but also in certain conventional ones.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Origami-inspired Cellular Metamaterial with Anisotropic Multi-stability

Origami designs offer extreme reconfigurability due to hinge rotation and facet deformation. This can be exploited to make lightweight metamaterials with controlled deployability and tunable properties. Here, we create a family of origami-inspired cellular metamaterials which can be programmed to have various stability characteristics and mechanical responses in three independent orthogonal directions. The cellular metamaterials were constructed from their origami unit cell that can have one or two admissible closed-loop configurations. The presence of the second closed-loop configuration leads to the emergence of bi-stability in the cellular metamaterial. We show that the stability and reconfigurability of the origami unit cell, and thus the constructed cellular metamaterials, can be programmed by manipulating the characteristic angles inherited from the origami pattern. Two examples of such programmable metamaterial with bi-stability in out-of-plane direction and anisotropic multi-stability in orthogonal directions are presented. Our study provides a platform to design programmable three-dimensional metamaterials significantly broadening the application envelope of origami.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Large-Scale Conformal Growth of Atomic-Thick MoS2 for Highly Efficient Photocurrent Generation

Controlling the interconnection of neighboring seeds (nanoflakes) to full coverage of the textured substrate is the main challenge for the large-scale conformal growth of atomic-thick transition metal dichalcogenides by chemical vapor deposition. Herein, we report on a controllable method for the conformal growth of monolayer MoS2 on not only planar but also micro- and nano-rugged SiO2/Si substrates via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The continuity of monolayer MoS2 on the rugged surface is evidenced by scanning electron microscopy, cross-section high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL) mapping, and Raman mapping. Interestingly, the photo-responsivity (~254.5 mA/W) of as-grown MoS2 on the nano-rugged substrate exhibits 59 times higher than that of the planar sample (4.3 mA/W) under a small applied bias of 0.1 V. This value is record high when compared with all previous MoS2-based photocurrent generation under low or zero bias. Such a large enhancement in the photo-responsivity arises from a large active area for light-matter interaction and local strain for PL quenching, where the latter effect is the key factor and unique in the conformally grown monolayer on the nano-rugged surface. The result is a step toward the batch fabrication of modern atomic-thick optoelectronic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

The Helmholtz Method: Using Perceptual Compression to Reduce Machine Learning Complexity

This paper proposes a fundamental answer to a frequently asked question in multimedia computing and machine learning: Do artifacts from perceptual compression contribute to error in the machine learning process and if so, how much? Our approach to the problem is a reinterpretation of the Helmholtz Free Energy formula from physics to explain the relationship between content and noise when using sensors (such as cameras or microphones) to capture multimedia data. The reinterpretation allows a bit-measurement of the noise contained in images, audio, and video by combining a classifier with perceptual compression, such as JPEG or MP3. Our experiments on CIFAR-10 as well as Fraunhofer's IDMT-SMT-Audio-Effects dataset indicate that, at the right quality level, perceptual compression is actually not harmful but contributes to a significant reduction of complexity of the machine learning process. That is, our noise quantification method can be used to speed up the training of deep learning classifiers significantly while maintaining, or sometimes even improving, overall classification accuracy. Moreover, our results provide insights into the reasons for the success of deep learning.

cs.CV↗

arXiv2018

$^{39}$Ar dating with small samples resolves ocean ventilation

Ocean ventilation is the integrated effect of various processes that propagate surface properties to the ocean interior. Its precise understanding is the prerequisite for addressing essential questions such as oxygen supply, the storage of anthropogenic carbon and the heat budget of the ocean. Currently employed observational methods to infer ventilation utilise transient tracers, i.e. tritium, SF$_6$, CFCs and the radioisotope $^{14}$C. However, their dating ranges are not suitable to resolve the dynamics of the deep ocean. The noble gas isotope $^{39}$Ar with a half-life of 269 years fills this gap. Its broad application has previously been hindered by its very low abundance, requiring at least 1000 litres of water for dating. Here we report on successful $^{39}$Ar dating with only 5 litres of water based on the atom-optical technique Atom Trap Trace Analysis. Our data reveal previously not quantifiable ventilation patterns in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic, where we find that advection is more important for the ventilation of the intermediate depth range than previously assumed. This result implies faster ventilation than estimated in other studies and thus a significantly higher anthropogenic CO$_2$-storage. The demonstrated analytical capabilities now allow for a global collection of $^{39}$Ar data, which will have significant impact on our understanding of ocean ventilation.

physics.ao-ph↗

arXiv2018

1/f Noise Reduction using In-Pixel Chopping in CMOS Image Sensor

In this paper, an in-pixel chopping technique to reduce the low-frequency or 1/f noise of the source follower (SF) transistor in an active pixel sensor (APS) is presented. The SF low-frequency noise is modulated at higher frequencies through chopping, implemented inside the pixel, and in later stage eliminated using low-pass filtering. To implement the chopping, the conventional 3T APS architecture is modified, with only one additional transistor of minimum size per pixel. Reduction in the noise also enhances the dynamic range (DR) of the image sensor. The test circuit is fabricated in UMC 0.18 um standard CMOS technology. The measured results show a reduction of 1/f noise by approximately 22 dB for 50 MHz chopping frequency.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Analytical Modeling of a Two-Dimensional Waveguide-Fed Metasurface

We develop a fast, accurate, and robust technique to model the electromagnetic response of a two-dimensional (2D) waveguide-fed metasurface aperture. The geometry under consideration consists of a parallel-plate waveguide with an array of subwavelength, complementary metamaterial elements patterned into one of the conducting surfaces. To determine the radiated field, we model each radiating element as a polarizable dipole, and account for mutual interactions among elements via guided and radiated fields by applying a coupled dipole framework. Using full-wave simulations of parallel-plate waveguides with two types of metamaterial elements, we confirm the validity of the proposed coupled dipole model and demonstrate the ability to predict radiation patterns corresponding to arbitrarily arranged elements. We explore the importance of including the mutual coupling among metamaterial elements to arrive at accurate field predictions. The coupled dipole modeling framework presented is scalable to extremely large apertures and can form the foundation for a general, efficient, yet simple aperture analysis and synthesis tool.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2018

Terahertz Spin Transfer Torque Oscillator Based on a Synthetic Antiferromagnet

Bloch-Bloembergen-Slonczewski equation is adopted to simulate magnetization dynamics in spin-valve based spin-transfer torque oscillator with synthetic antiferromagnet acting as a free magnetic layer. High frequency up to the terahertz scale is predicted in synthetic antiferromagnet spin-transfer torque oscillator with no external magnetic field if the following requirements are fulfilled: antiferromagnetic coupling between synthetic antiferromagnetic layers is sufficiently strong, and the thickness of top (bottom) layer of synthetic antiferromagnet is sufficiently thick (thin) to achieve a wide current density window for the high oscillation frequency. Additionally, the transverse relaxation time of the free magnetic layer should be sufficiently larger compared with the longitudinal relaxation time. Otherwise, stable oscillation cannot be sustained or scenarios similar to regular spin valve-based spin-transfer torque oscillator with relatively low frequency will occur. Our calculations pave a new way for exploring THz spintronics devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Visible absorbing TiO2 thin films by physical deposition methods

Titanium dioxide is one of the most widely used wide bandgap materials. However, the TiO2 deposited on a substrate is not always transparent leading to a loss in efficiency of the device, especially, the photo response. Herein, we show that atomic layer deposition (ALD) and sputtered TiO2 thin films can be highly absorbing in the visible region. While in ALD, the mechanism is purported to be due to oxygen deficiency, intriguingly, in sputtered films it has been observed that in fact oxygen rich atmosphere leads to visible absorption. We show that the oxygen content during deposition, the resistivity of the film could be controlled and also the photocatalysis response has been evaluated for both the ALD and sputtered films. High resolution TEM and STEM studies show that the origin of visible absorption could be due to the presence of nanoparticles with surface defects inside the amorphous film.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Additive Manufacturing and Characterization of Architectured Cement-based Materials via X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography

There is an increasing interest in the fabrication of cement-based materials via additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. However, the processing-induced heterogeneities and interfaces represent a major challenge. The role of processing in creating interfaces and their characteristics requires understanding of the microstructure of 3D-printed hardened cement paste (hcp). This work investigates the microstructural features of architectured cement-based materials, including processing-induced heterogeneous patterns, interfacial regions (IRs), and pore network distributions with respect to the architectural pattern. A 3D printer was modified and merged with an extrusion system and specimens were 3D-printed using a layer-wise direct ink writing (DIW) process capable of fabrication of lamellar architectures of materials. A lab-based X-ray microscope (XRM) was used to perform X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) evaluations to explore the microstructural characteristics of 3-day old intact (i.e. not tested) 3D printed and cast specimens at two levels of magnification: 0.4X and 4X. CT scans of printed specimen revealed a patterned pore network and several microstructural features, including: a) macropores, b) micropores at interfacial regions (IRs), c) accumulation of anhydrous cement particles near macropores, and d) rearrangement of filaments away from their designed toolpath. In comparison, microstructural investigation of cast specimen at 4X scan revealed randomly distributed pores with no connectivity throughout the specimen. The aptitude of micro-CT as a non-destructive technique for microstructural characterization is discussed. The role of processing to induce and to pattern heterogeneities such as IRs in materials is demonstrated and the role of architecture in controlling such heterogeneities and their directionality through the interface is discussed.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

On a critical artifact in the quantum yield methodology

For the development and optimization of novel light emitting materials, such as fluorescent proteins, dyes and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), a reliable and robust analysis of the emission efficiency is crucial. The emission efficiency is typically quantified by the photoluminescence quantum yield (QY), defined by the ratio of emitted to absorbed photons. We show that this methodology suffers from a flaw that leads to underestimated QY values, presenting as a 'parasitic absorption'. This effect has not been described and/or corrected for in literature and is present already under common experimental conditions, therefore, it is highly relevant for a number of published studies. To correct for this effect, we propose a modification to the methodology and a correction procedure.

physics.app-ph↗