Optical properties of organo-soluble polyimide thin films and their applications in liquid crystal displays

Three organo-soluble polyimide powders have been synthesized. Their imidization was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. The amorphous morphology of their thin films were confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Polyimide thin films were prepared by solution casting or spin coating. UV-visible transmission spectra of thin films revealed that they are almost transparent in the range of visible light. With in-plane orientation, revealed by FTIR spectra, negative birefringence (Delta n) of thin films were observed, and refractive indices of the thin films along the film plane (n(TE)) and normal to the plane (n(TM)) were measured by a prism coupler. Because of negative birefringence of the thin films, they tan be substituted for the compensation films for twisted nematic liquid crystal displays (TN-LCDs) to extend their viewing angles. In this paper, a 90 degrees C TN-LCD and 120 degrees C TN-LCD were taken as examples to show the compensation effect of thin films of a qualified polyimide. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Optical anisotropy of flexible polyimide thin films

Optical anisotropy of thin films of an organo-soluble flexible polyimide based on 1,4-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy) benzene dianhydride (HQDPA) and 2,2-dimethyl-4,4'-methylene dianiline (DMMDA) was detected by a prism-coupler technique. A mechanism is proposed, based on the model of gel film collapse. The degrees of optical anisotropy of the thin films were evaluated via the level of negative birefringence. The residual solvent in the films lessens the levels of negative birefringence so that the residual solvent must be evacuated. The levels of negative birefringence are independent on the solid content of the initial solution, but dependent on the thickness of the films. For a film of 16 mu m thick, zero birefringence was achieved, postulated from the dependence of negative birefringence on the thickness of thin films. The relationship between the optical anisotropy and solution properties shows that the degrees of optical anisotropy of thin films on the same scale of thickness depend on macromolecular sizes in their dilute solutions.

Correlation between chain conformations and optical anisotropy of thin films of an organo-soluble polyimide

An organo-soluble polyimide was successfully synthesized by two step polycondensation accompanied with chemical imidization. Optical anisotropy of thin films was detected by a prism-coupler technique. The results showed that the optical anisotropic properties of thin films prepared from solutions in different solvents depend on the solution properties. It is concluded that the more expanded the chain conformation in solution, the larger the negative birefringence of thin films. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Study of molecular order in organo-soluble polyimide thin films

The changes in refractive indices (n(TE) and n(TM)) in a direction normal to the plane of thin films of an organo-soluble polyimide based on 1,4-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy) benzene dianhydride and 2,2'-dimethyl-4,4'-methylene dianiline were measured by a prism coupler. The results implied that the molecules near the substrate-polyimide interface were much ordered, while those near the polyimide-air interface were less ordered, judging from the variation in the level of negative birefringence with the depth of the films. The molecules are more condensed near the substrate surface, as seen by the average refractive index increasing from the polyimide-air interface to the substrate-polyimide interface, which implies that the condensed states of polyimide molecules change gradually in the depth direction. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Physical modeling of localized scour for the Yangtze Estuary Waterway Improvement Project, Phase I

In order to examine the effectiveness of engineering protection against localized scour in front of the south groin-group of the Yangtze Estuary Waterway Improvement Project, Phase I, an undistorted physical model on a geometric scale of 1:250 is built in this study, covering two groins and their adacent estuarine areas. By use of rinsing fix-bed model as well as localized mobile-bed model the experiment is undertaken under bi-directional steady flow. According to the experimental results, waterway dredging leads to the increase in steram velocity, the increase being larger during the ebb than during the flood. Construction of the upstream groin has some influence on the flow patterns near the downstream groin. Localized scour in front of the groin-heads is controlled mainly by ebb flow. In the case of a riverbed composed entirely of silt, the depths of localized scour in front of the two groin-heads are 27 m and 29 m, respectively. In reality, the underneath sediment of the prototype riverbed is clay whose threshold velocity is much higher than the stream velocity in the Yangtze Estuary; therefore, the depths of localized scour will not be much larger than the thickness of the silt layer, i. e. 7.4 m and 4.7 m, respectively. The designed aprons covering the riverbed in fron of the groin-heads are very effective in scour control. Aprons of slightly smaller size can also fulfill the task of protection, but the area of localized scour increases significantly.

Remote sensing of ocean waves by along-track interferometric synthetic aperture radar

A new wave retrieval method for the Along-Track Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (AT-InSAR) phase image is presented. The new algorithm, named parametric retrieval algorithm (PRA), uses the full nonlinear mapping relations. It differs from previous retrieval algorithms in that it does not require a priori information about the sea state or the wind vector from scatterometer data. Instead, it combines the observed AT-InSAR phase spectrum and assumed wind vector to estimate the wind sea spectrum. The method has been validated using several C-band and X-band HH-polarized AT-InSAR observations collocated with spectral buoy measurements. In this paper, X-band and C-band HH-polarized AT-InSAR phase images of ocean waves are first used to study AT-InSAR wave imaging fidelity. The resulting phase spectra are quantitatively compared with forward-mapped in situ directional wave spectra collocated with the AT-InSAR observations. Subsequently, we combine the parametric retrieval algorithm (PRA) with X-band and C-band HH-polarized AT-InSAR phase images to retrieve ocean wave spectra. The results show that the ocean wavelengths, wave directions, and significant wave heights estimated from the retrieved ocean wave spectra are in agreement with the buoy measurements.

A parametric method of retrieving ocean wave spectra from synthetic aperture radar images

A parametric method that extracts the ocean wave directional spectra from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image is presented. The 180 degrees ambiguity of SAR image and the loss of information beyond the azimuthal cutoff can be overcome with this method. The ocean wave spectra can be obtained from SAR image directly by using iteration inversion mapping method with forward nonlinear mapping. Some numerical experiments have been made by using ERS-1 satellite SAR imagette data. The ocean wave direction retrieved from SAR imagette data is in agreement with the wind direction from the scatterometer data.

Numerical simulation and validation of ocean waves measured by an Along-Track Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

A new nonlinear integral transform of ocean wave spectra into Along-Track Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (ATI-SAR) image spectra is described. ATI-SAR phase image spectra are calculated for various sea states and radar configurations based on the nonlinear integral transform. The numerical simulations show that the slant range to velocity ratio (R/V), significant wave height to ocean wavelength ratio (H-s/lambda), the baseline (2B) and incident angle (theta) affect ATI-SAR imaging. The ATI-SAR imaging theory is validated by means of Two X-band, HH-polarized ATI-SAR phase images of ocean waves and eight C-band, HH-polarized ATI-SAR phase image spectra of ocean waves. It is shown that ATI-SAR phase image spectra are in agreement with those calculated by forward mapping in situ directional wave spectra collected simultaneously with available ATI-SAR observations. ATI-SAR spectral correlation coefficients between observed and simulated are greater than 0.6 and are not sensitive to the degree of nonlinearity. However, the ATI-SAR phase image spectral turns towards the range direction, even if the real ocean wave direction is 30 degrees. It is also shown that the ATI-SAR imaging mechanism is significantly affected by the degree of velocity bunching nonlinearity, especially for high values of R/V and H-s/lambda.

Measurements of ocean wave and current field using dual polarized X-band radar

A new ocean wave and sea surface current monitoring system with horizontally-(HH) and vertically-(VV) polarized X-band radar was developed. Two experiments into the use of the radar system were carried out at two sites, respectively, for calibration process in Zhangzi Island of the Yellow Sea, and for validation in the Yellow Sea and South China Sea. Ocean wave parameters and sea surface current velocities were retrieved from the dual polarized radar image sequences based on an inverse method. The results obtained from dual-polarized radar data sets acquired in Zhangzi Island are compared with those from an ocean directional buoy. The results show that ocean wave parameters and sea surface current velocities retrieved from radar image sets are in a good agreement with those observed by the buoy. In particular, it has been found that the vertically-polarized radar is better than the horizontally-polarized radar in retrieving ocean wave parameters, especially in detecting the significant wave height below 1.0 m.

基于状态构形矢量和状态构形矩阵的可重构模块星球机器人构形水

可重构模块星球机器人系统由母体和多个子机器人模块组成,单个模块可以独立运动和操作,多个模块可以重构组合成不同构形,模块采用非对称式轮手一体机构,具有姿态方位性和运动方向性,重构目的是组成在某种环境下更好地完成有向性运动的构形。基于此,提出矢量构形概念,将运动趋势方向和方位性融合到构形拓扑结构中。在模块矢量分析模型基础上,提出并构建状态构形矢量(State configuration vector,SCV)和状态构形矩阵(State configuration matrix,SCM),对非对称式单模块和整体构形的状态信息进行描述,同时支持预定义的数学变换操作,可以表达并触发模块的基础动作、构形重构。提出离散模块组合重构成目标构形的优化分析算法,通过实例仿真计算获得优化分析的选择结果。

基于障碍预估与概率方向权值的移动机器人动态路径规划

主要研究了移动机器人在未知动态环境中的路径规划问题.提出一种将障碍预估与概率方向权值相结合的动态路径规划新方法.该方法将卡尔曼滤波引入到规划算法中,使得对障碍物运动状态的实时有效预估成为可能.同时,为实现移动机器人的实时路径规划,提出一种新的概率方向权值方法,基于周期规划将障碍物与目标信息进行融合,能够有效处理室内环境下对于障碍物的速度和运动轨迹均未知的动态路径规划问题.仿真结果以及基于SmartROB2移动机器人平台所进行的实验结果验证了该方法的有效性和实用性.

一种全方位移动爬壁机器人系统设计

设计了一种具有适应多种壁面、越障能力强、能沿任意方向直线移动或在原地旋转任意角度的全方位移动爬壁机器人。详细论述了机器人本体机构的组成和爬壁机器人全方位移动的功能实现,并对控制系统进行了介绍。分析表明,该机器人是对高层壁面或容器清洗、喷漆及维护和检测的良好载体。

一种四自由度并联机构及其运动学建模

提出一种新型四自由度并联平台机构 ,该机构的动平台能够实现两个方向的移动 ,以及绕两个方向轴线的转动。研究了该机构的运动学建模方法 ,给出了运动学正、逆解。阐述其应用前景

采用普通双绞线远距离传输动力、图像、双向数据的方法

论述了一种在一对普通动力双绞线上实现直流动力、彩色图像和双向数据的远距离实时传输方法,详细介绍了其工作原理、电路设计和试验结果。

一个多智能体机器人协作装配系统

介绍了一个基于多智能体概念实现的多机器人协作装配系统——ＭＲＣＡＳ（Ｍｕｌｔｉ－ＲｏｂｏｔＣｏｏｐｅｒａｔｉｖｅＡｓｓｍｂｌｙＳｙｓｔｅｍ）。该系统由组织级计算机、三台工业机器人和一台全方位移动小车（ＯＤＶ）组成，采用分层递阶体系结构。利用ＭＲＣＡＳ系统进行了多机器人协作装配的实验：在ＯＤＶ装配平台上，四台机器人合作装配一个大型桁架式工件。该工件具有多种装配构型，但任何一台机器人不能独立完成装配。