A new method of modeling cladding band structure of air-guiding photonic crystal fibers

Cladding band structure of air-guiding photonic crystal fibers with high air-filling fraction is calculated in terms of fiber shape variation. The fundamental photonic band gap dependence on structure parameters, air-filling fraction and spacing, is also investigated. The numerical results show that the band gap edges shift toward longer wavelength as the air-filling fraction is increased, whereas the relative band gap width increases linearly. For a fixed air-filling fraction, the band gap edges with respect to spacing keep constant. With this method, the simulation results agree well with the reported data. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fullerenes-extracted soot: a new adsorbent for collecting volatile organic compounds in ambient air

Fullerenes-extracted soot (FES) is the by-product of fullerenes production. Retention characteristics at different temperatures for 17 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on FES are measured. The adsorption and desorption efficiencies for VOCs on FES adsorbent tubes range from 40.8 to 117%, most of them being 100+/-20%. The values are compared with Tenax GR, an adsorbent commonly used in environmental analysis. FES can be used as an adsorbent of low cost to collect VOCs in environmental samples. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Coflow jets with large velocity difference - a new aerodynamic principle of flame stabilization and combustion intensification

A new aerodynamic principle of flame stabilization and combustion intensification, the coflow jets with large velocity difference, is described. One or more small high-velocity jets of air or steam, injected off the axis and in the same direction as the low-velocity main fuel-air flow into the combustor, create a large recirculation zone of high turbulence intensity in which the combustibles and high temperature gases are effectively mixed, so that stable and intensive combustion can be maintained even for fuels with poor ignition. A pulverized coal combustor based on the principle mentioned above is shown to be characteristic of excellent combustoom and a simple structure. A number of precombustors of this type are in operation at some power stations and industrial boilers of China. Using such precombustor, successtul startups and part-load operation of the boilers have become available under conditions of unpreheated air and low-grade coal with volatiles as low as 15% and ash content as high as 30%. This principle shows good promise as an attractive new technology of combustion.

Taxonomic review of the genus Sinocrossocheilus Wu (Teleostei : Cyprinidae), with a description of four new species

All Sinocrossocheilus species, except S. microstomatus, are reviewed. Four new species, S. labiata, S. papillolabra, S. nigrovittata, and S. longibulla, are described. The genus Sinocrossocheilus differs from other genera of Cyprinidae by the last simple dorsal fin ray being unserrated and unossified, the last unbranched anal fin ray being unserrated and unossified, the 5-branched anal fin rays, the mouth gap being inferior, the rostral cap covering the lower jaw and connecting directly with the lower lip, a row of fleshy lobes on the lower jaw, and a cloudy black spot above the pectoral fin. Sinocrossocheilus labiata is small and has 22 predorsal scales; S. longibulla has a very large air bladder; S. papillolabra possesses a well-developed ventral fin and a wide band covered by fleshy papillae on the lower lip; and S. nigrovittata possesses black longitudinal stripes along the lateral line. Crossocheilus bamaensis and Crossocheilus liuchengensis are transferred to the genus Sinocrossocheilus. Sinocrossocheilus species are endemic to the central and eastern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of China, where river systems are anfractuous, including seasonal rivers, cave rivers, underground rivers, and streamlets between mountains. These separated rivers probably provide conditions for the allopatric speciation of the Sinocrossocheilus.

Schistura cryptofasciata, a new loach (Cypriniformes : Balitoridae) from Salween drainage in Yunnan, Southwestern China

Schistura cryptofasciata is distinguished from its congeners by following combination characters: lateral line complete; 8(1)/(2) branched dorsal-fin rays; 9+8 branched caudal-fin rays; no sexual dimorphism; 8-11 indistinct bars, wider than interspaces; caudal-peduncle length 44.1-16.5% standard length, 68.1-90.4% dorsal head length; anterior portion of body scaleless; air bladder entirely embedded in bony capsule; lateral head length 104-122% dorsal head length; lower jaw with a notch at symphysis; lower lip completely interrupted; interorbital width 1.9-2.2 times eye diameter; pelvic-fin origin ventral to dorsal-fin origin; anus 1.0-1.5 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; the widest part of black basal caudal bar is the midlateral, and then the upper and lower ends.

Fabrication of nanoscale metallic air-bridges by introducing a SiO2 sacrificial layer

A new method to fabricate nanoscale metallic air-bridges has been investigated. The pillar patterns of the air-bridge were defined on a SiO2, sacrificial layer by electron-beam lithography combined with inductively coupled plasma etching. Thereafter, the span (suspended part between the pillars) patterns were defined with a second electron-beam exposure on a PMMA/PMMA-MAA resist system. The fabrication process was completed by subsequent metal electron-beam evaporation, lift-off in acetone, and removal of the sacrificial layer in a buffered hydrofluoric (HF) solution. Air-bridges with two different geometries (line-shaped and cross-shaped) were studied in detail. The narrowest width of the air-bridges was around 200 nm, and the typical length of the air-bridges was 2-5 mu m. The advantages of our method are the simplicity of carrying out electron-beam exposure with good reproducibility and the capability of more accurate control of the pillar sizes and shapes of the air-bridge. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-power operation of quantum cascade lasers endured prolonged air-oxidation

High-power strain-compensated In1-xGaxAs/ln(1-y)Al(y)As quantum cascade lasers (lambda similar to 5.5 mu m) are demonstrated. Peak power at least 1.2W per facet for a 32 mu mx2mm uncoated laser stored in ambient condition for 240 days, is obtained at 80 K. Considering the collection efficiency of 60%, the actual output power is 4W at this temperature.

A new heteroleptic ruthenium sensitizer enhances the absorptivity of mesoporous titania film for a high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell

A heteroleptic polypyridyl ruthenium complex, cis-Ru(4,4'-bis(5-octylthieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine)(4,4'-dicarboxyl-2,2'-bipyridine)(NCS) 2, with a high molar extinction coefficient of 20.5 x 10(3) M-1 cm(-1) at 553 nm has been synthesized and demonstrated as a highly efficient sensitizer for a dye-sensitized solar cell, giving a power conversion efficiency of 10.53% measured under an irradiation of air mass 1.5 global ( AM 1.5G) full sunlight.

New Organic Sensitizer for Stable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Solvent-Free Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

We report a high molar extinction coefficient metal-free sensitizer composed of a triarylamine donor in combination with the 2-(2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl)acrylonitrile conjugation unit and cyanoacrylic acid as an acceptor. In conjugation with a volatile acetonitrile-based electrolyte or a solvent-free ionic liquid electrolyte, we have fabricated efficient dye-sensitized solar cells showing a corresponding 7.5% or 6.1% efficiency measured under the air mass 1.5 global sunlight. The ionic liquid cell exhibits excellent stability during a 1000 h accelerated test under the light-soaking and thermal dual stress. Intensity-modulated photocurrent and photovolatge spectroscopies were employed along with the transient photoelectrical decay measurements to detail the electron transport in the mesoporous titania films filled with these two electrolytes.

Synthesis and characterization of new carbazole/fluorene-based derivatives for blue-light-emitting devices

2,7-Bis(9-ethylcarbazol-3-yl)-9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)fluorene and a segmented copolymer composed of the same chromophores alternated with hexamethylene fragments were synthesized. The obtained materials possess good solubility in common organic solvents, high thermal stability with 1% weight loss temperature of 350-370 degrees C, and suitable glass transition temperatures. Both derivatives show blue fluorescence in dilute solutions as well as in solid state, demonstrating that excimers are not formed in the thin films. The fluorescence spectra of the materials do not show any peaks in the long-wavelength region even after annealing at 200 degrees C in air. An organic LED with the configuration of ITO/copolymer/Al generates blue electroluminescence with the maximum peak at 416 nm, rather low turn-on voltage (4.0 V), and brightness of about 400 cd/m(2). The heterostructure device based on model derivative emitted stable blue light with low operation voltage (100 cd/m(2) at similar to 11 V) and demonstrated luminescence efficiency of 0.8 cd/A.

A new oxide ion conductor: La3GaMo2O12

A new oxide ion conductor, La3GaMo2O12, with a bulk conductivity of 2.7 X 10(-2) S.cm(-1) at 800 degrees C in air atmosphere was prepared by the traditional solid-state reaction. The room temperature X-ray diffraction data could be indexed on a monoclinic cell with lattice parameters of a=0.5602(2) nm, b=0.3224(1) nm, c= 1.5741(1) nm, beta= 102.555(0)degrees, V=0.2775(2) nm(3) and space group Pc(7). Ac impedance measurements in various atmospheres further support that it is an oxide ion conductor. This material was stable in various atmospheres with oxygen partial pressure P(O-2) ranging from 1.0 X 10(5) to 1.0 X 10(-7) Pa at 800 degrees C. A reversible polymorphic phase transition occurred at elevated temperatures as confirmed by the differential thermal analysis and dilatometric measurement.

Study on the reduction of Eu3+ -> Eu2+ in Sr4Al14O25: Eu prepared in air atmosphere

Compounds of Sr4Al14O15: Eu were prepared in air atmosphere by high temperature solid state reaction. The reduction of Eu3+--> Eu2+ was firstly observed in the aluminate phosphor of Sr4Al14O25: Eu synthesized in air condition. This made aluminate a new family and Sr4Al14O25 a new member of compounds in which Eu3+ ion could be reduced to Eu2+ form when fired in air atmosphere. The reduction of Eu3+ --> Eu2+ in Sr4Al14O25: Eu was explained by means of a charge compensation model. Experiments based on the model were designed and carried out, and the results supported this model.

A study on the mechanism of the abnormal reduction of Eu3+ -> Eu2+ in Sr2B5O9Cl prepared in air at high temperature

This paper reports a new observation of the abnormal reduction of Eu3+ --> Eu2+ in Sr2B5O9Cl when prepared in air at high temperature. A model based on the nature of substitution defects is proposed to explain this abnormal reduction. Electrons, which reduced the Eu3+ ions, are created by the substitution of cations first and then transferred to the target Eu3+ ions via tetrahedral berate anion groups. Codoping experiments are designed and performed. The results of these experiments support the model proposed. (C) 1999 Academic Press.

The synthesis of dendrimers bearing alkyl chains and their behavior at air-water interface

A new kind of amphiphilic polyether dendrimer bearing eight alkyl chains at the periphery were synthesized step by step using the convergent method. Their structures were confirmed by FT-IR spectra, H-1 NMR spectra and mass spectra etc. The pi-A isotherms, hysteresis and molecular area-time curves at air water interface were reported. These results showed that they could form stable monolayers at water surface.

A NEW HYDROGEN SENSOR WITH RARE-EARTH COMPLEX FLUORIDE

A new type of solid-state galvanic cell for detecting a small amount of hydrogen in air at room temperature is proposed. The sensor cell is a potentiometric cell using Ce0.95Ca0.05F2.95 as solid-state electrolyte. The cell exhibits good sensing properties to hydrogen in air at room temperature.