First Curl, Then Wrinkle

The excellent properties of elastomers are exploited to trigger wrinkling instabilities in curved shells. Micro- and nano-fibres are produced by electrospinning and UV irradiated: each fibre consists of a soft core and a stiff outer half-shell. Upon solvent de-swelling, the fibres curl because the shell and the core have different natural lengths. Wrinkling only starts after the fibre has attained a well-defined helical shape. A simple analytical model is proposed to find the curling curvature and wrinkle wavelength, as well as the transition between the “curling” and “wrinkling” regimes. This new instability resembles that found in the tendrils of climbing plants as they dry and lignify.

Demux devices based on A-SiC:H

In this paper we present results about the functioning of a multilayered a-SiC:H heterostructure as a device for wavelength-division demultiplexing of optical signals. The device is composed of two stacked p-i-n photodiodes, both optimized for the selective collection of photogenerated carriers. Band gap engineering was used to adjust the photogeneration and recombination rates profiles of the intrinsic absorber regions of each photodiode to short and long wavelength absorption and carrier collection in the visible spectrum. The photocurrent signal using different input optical channels was analyzed at reverse and forward bias and under steady state illumination. This photocurrent is used as an input for a demux algorithm based on the voltage controlled sensitivity of the device. The device functioning is explained with results obtained by numerical simulation of the device, which permit an insight to the internal electric configuration of the double heterojunction.These results address the explanation of the device functioning in the frequency domain to a wavelength tunable photocapacitance due to the accumulation of space charge localized at the internal junction. The existence of a direct relation between the experimentally observed capacitive effects of the double diode and the quality of the semiconductor materials used to form the internal junction is highlighted.

Aryleneethynylene Trimers Bearing Calix[4]arenes: synthesis, optical properties and self-assembling studies

New homoditopic bis-calix[4]arene-carbazole conjugates, armed with hydrophilic carboxylic acid functions at their lower rims, are disclosed. Evidence for their self-association in solution was gathered from solvatochromic and thermochromic studies, as well as from gel-permeation chromatography analysis. Their ability to function as highly sensitive sensors toward polar electron-deficient aromatic compounds is demonstrated.

Solution-Processable Donor-Acceptor-Donor Oligomers with Cross-Linkable Functionality

Electron-acceptor units, combined with bithiophene substituted with flexible chains end-functionalized with cross-linkable moieties, provide soluble donor-acceptor-donor (DAD) it-conjugated oligomer-type molecules with cross-linking ability and broad absorption in the visible spectrum. A study on the cross-linking conditions of the new oligomers to yield insoluble polymer networks is presented, including conditions for obtaining polymer films over poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate-covered substrates. The combination of the DAD molecular design and cross-linking functionality opens prospects for applications in solution-processed small-molecule solar cells with morphologically-stable organic layers.