Ultrasonic imaging of 3D displacement vectors using a simulated 2D array and beamsteering.

Most quasi-static ultrasound elastography methods image only the axial strain, derived from displacements measured in the direction of ultrasound propagation. In other directions, the beam lacks high resolution phase information and displacement estimation is therefore less precise. However, these estimates can be improved by steering the ultrasound beam through multiple angles and combining displacements measured along the different beam directions. Previously, beamsteering has only considered the 2D case to improve the lateral displacement estimates. In this paper, we extend this to 3D using a simulated 2D array to steer both laterally and elevationally in order to estimate the full 3D displacement vector over a volume. The method is tested on simulated and phantom data using a simulated 6-10MHz array, and the precision of displacement estimation is measured with and without beamsteering. In simulations, we found a statistically significant improvement in the precision of lateral and elevational displacement estimates: lateral precision 35.69μm unsteered, 3.70μm steered; elevational precision 38.67μm unsteered, 3.64μm steered. Similar results were found in the phantom data: lateral precision 26.51μm unsteered, 5.78μm steered; elevational precision 28.92μm unsteered, 11.87μm steered. We conclude that volumetric 3D beamsteering improves the precision of lateral and elevational displacement estimates.

Ultrasonic imaging of 3D displacement vectors using a simulated 2D array and beamsteering

Most quasi-static ultrasound elastography methods image only the axial strain, derived from displacements measured in the direction of ultrasound propagation. In other directions, the beam lacks high resolution phase information and displacement estimation is therefore less precise. However, these estimates can be improved by steering the ultrasound beam through multiple angles and combining displacements measured along the different beam directions. Previously, beamsteering has only considered the 2D case to improve the lateral displacement estimates. In this paper, we extend this to 3D using a simulated 2D array to steer both laterally and elevationally in order to estimate the full 3D displacement vector over a volume. The method is tested on simulated and phantom data using a simulated 6-10 MHz array, and the precision of displacement estimation is measured with and without beamsteering. In simulations, we found a statistically significant improvement in the precision of lateral and elevational displacement estimates: lateral precision 35.69 μm unsteered, 3.70 μm steered; elevational precision 38.67 μm unsteered, 3.64 μm steered. Similar results were found in the phantom data: lateral precision 26.51 μm unsteered, 5.78 μm steered; elevational precision 28.92 μm unsteered, 11.87 μm steered. We conclude that volumetric 3D beamsteering improves the precision of lateral and elevational displacement estimates. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production and processing of graphene and 2d crystals

Graphene is at the center of an ever growing research effort due to its unique properties, interesting for both fundamental science and applications. A key requirement for applications is the development of industrial-scale, reliable, inexpensive production processes. Here we review the state of the art of graphene preparation, production, placement and handling. Graphene is just the first of a new class of two dimensional materials, derived from layered bulk crystals. Most of the approaches used for graphene can be extended to these crystals, accelerating their journey towards applications. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

THE SENSITIVITY OF 2D COMPRESSOR INCIDENCE RANGE TO IN-SERVICE GEOMETRIC VARIATION

The loss mechanisms which control 2D incidence range are discussed with an emphasis on determining which real in-service geometric variations will have the largest impact. For the majority of engine compressor blades (Minlet>0.55) both the negative and positive incidence limits are controlled by supersonic patches. It is shown that these patches are highly sensitive to the geometric variations close to, and around the leading edge. The variations used in this study were measured from newly manufactured as well as ex-service blades. Over most the high pressure compressor considered, it was shown that manufacture variations dominated. The first part of the paper shows that, despite large geometric variations (~10% of leading edge thickness), the incidence range responded in a linear way. The result of this is that the geometric variations have little effect on the mean incidence range of a row of blades. In the second part of the paper a region of the design space is identified where non-linear behavior can result in a 10% reduction in positive incidence range. The mechanism for this is reported and design guidelines for its avoidance offered. In the final part of the paper, the linear behavior at negative incidence and the transonic nature of the flow is exploited to design a robust asymmetric leading edge with a 5% increase in incidence range.

Beyond 2D-grids: A dependence maximization view on image browsing

Ideally, one would like to perform image search using an intuitive and friendly approach. Many existing image search engines, however, present users with sets of images arranged in some default order on the screen, typically the relevance to a query, only. While this certainly has its advantages, arguably, a more flexible and intuitive way would be to sort images into arbitrary structures such as grids, hierarchies, or spheres so that images that are visually or semantically alike are placed together. This paper focuses on designing such a navigation system for image browsers. This is a challenging task because arbitrary layout structure makes it difficult - if not impossible - to compute cross-similarities between images and structure coordinates, the main ingredient of traditional layouting approaches. For this reason, we resort to a recently developed machine learning technique: kernelized sorting. It is a general technique for matching pairs of objects from different domains without requiring cross-domain similarity measures and hence elegantly allows sorting images into arbitrary structures. Moreover, we extend it so that some images can be preselected for instance forming the tip of the hierarchy allowing to subsequently navigate through the search results in the lower levels in an intuitive way. Copyright 2010 ACM.

Symmetry detection of auxetic behaviour in 2D frameworks

A symmetry-extended Maxwell treatment of the net mobility of periodic bar-and-joint frameworks is used to derive a sufficient condition for auxetic behaviour of a 2D material. The type of auxetic behaviour that can be detected by symmetry has Poisson's ratio -1, with equal expansion/contraction in all directions, and is here termed equiauxetic. A framework may have a symmetry-detectable equiauxetic mechanism if it belongs to a plane group that includes rotational axes of order n = 6, 4, or 3. If the reducible representation for the net mobility contains mechanisms that preserve full rotational symmetry (A modes), these are equiauxetic. In addition, for n = 6, mechanisms that halve rotational symmetry (B modes) are also equiauxetic. © EPLA, 2013.

Inductively coupled plasma etching in fabrication of 2D InP-based photonic crystals

The authors developed an inductively coupled plasma etching process for the fabrication of hole-type photonic crystals in InP. The etching was performed at 70 degrees C using BCl3/Cl-2 chemistries. A high etch rate of 1.4 mu m/min was obtained for 200 nm diameter holes. The process also yields nearly cylindrical hole shape with a 10.8 aspect ratio and more than 85 degrees straightness of the smooth sidewall. Surface-emitting photonic crystal laser and edge emitting one were demonstrated in the experiments.

Optical interleaver based on directional coupler in a 2D photonic crystal slab with triangular lattice of air holes

A small-size optical interleaver based on directional coupler in a 2D photonic crystal slab with triangular lattice of air holes is designed and theoretically simulated using plane wave expansion and finite-difference time-domain method. The interleaver is formed by two parallel and identical photonic crystal slab waveguides which are separated by three rows of air holes. The coupling region is designed below the light line to avoid vertical radiation. The simulated results show that the coupling coefficient is increased and the final length of the interleaver is decreased by enlarging the radius of the middle row of air holes. The transmission properties are analyzed after the interleaver's structure is optimized, and around 100 GHz channel spacing can be got when the length of the interleaver is chosen as 40.5 mu m. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theoretical analysis about the influence of channel layer thickness on the 2D electron gas and its distribution in InP-based high-electron-mobility transistors

The principle of high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) and the property of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) have been analyzed theoretically. The concentration and distribution of 2DEG in various channel layers are calculated by numerical method. Variation of 2DEG concentration in different subband of the quantum well is discussed in detail. Calculated results show that sheet electron concentration of 2DEG in the channel is affected slightly by the thickness of the channel. But the proportion of electrons inhabited in different subbands can be affected by the thickness of the channel. When the size of channel lies between 20-25 nm, the number of electrons occupying the second subband reaches the maximum. This result can be used in parameter design of materials and devices.

Size quantization effects in InAs self-assembled islands on InP(001) at the onset of 2D-to-3D transition

Photoluminescence spectroscopy has been used to investigate self-assembled InAs islands in InAlAs grown on InP(0 0 1) by molecular beam epitaxy, in correlation with transmission electron microscopy. The nominal deposition of 3.6 monolayers of InAs at 470 degrees C achieves the onset stage of coherent island formation. In addition to one strong emission around 0.74 eV, the sample displaces several emission peaks at 0.87, 0.92. 0.98, and 1.04 eV. Fully developed islands that coexist with semi-finished disk islands account for the multipeak emission. These results provide strong evidence of size quantization effects in InAs islands. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

液体多脉冲及2D NMR实验的计算机模拟

现代多脉冲及2D NMR技术是过去十年中发展起来的崭新的NMR实验方法。计算机模拟做为NMR实验的强有力分析手段已日益受到重视。国内这方面工作开展得尚很少；国外发表的工作主要采用的是数字模拟，存在分析结果不够直观、物理意义不够清晰等缺陷。本论文工作采用乘积算符方法研制出对分析多脉冲及2D NMR实验普适的模拟程序PROPER；在乘积算符基础上，针对磁等性自旋体系，提出了实用的对称化乘积算符及多量子积算符方法。一、多脉冲及2D NMR实验的计算机模拟 1. 采用乘积算符方法在本所PDP－11／23微机上研制了多脉冲及2D NMR实验的模拟程序PROPER。该程序对不超过4核（I ＝ 1／2）的同核及异核弱耦合自旋体系非选择性脉冲序列的分析是普遍适用的。受计算机内存的限制，PROPER程序所能处理的脉冲序列脉冲间隔数目一般不超过10。2. 应用PROPER模拟程序对INEP和DEPT脉冲序列进行了分析比较；特别对BIRD脉冲序列的各种相位变型进行了模拟分析，给出了分析结果，分析过程中考虑了影响BIRD作用效果的同核耦合因素。应用结果表明，PROPER程序计算正确、迅速、给出的模拟结果较通常的数字模拟方法简单、直观、物理意义清楚，便于分析。由于采用算符模拟，结果的输出打印比较费时。目前，PROPER程序正在改进和完善之中。二、多脉冲及2D NMR实验的密度算符描述 1. 针对磁等性自旋（I ＝ 1／2）体系，首次提出了对称化乘积算符描述方法。在通常的乘积算符基础上，引入了对称化乘积算符，并对其数理基础进行了详细论证。推导了算符循环对易关系决定的Liourill-Von Neumann方程的解，给出了算符间普遍存在的循环对易关系及其相应的演化公式。据此，以InS(I = 1/2, S = 1/2; n = 2,3)自旋体系为例，对DEPT脉冲序列进行了分析；结果表明，该方法较通常的乘积算符方法对磁等性自旋体系的分析要简单、实用，且物理意义更加明确。由于该方法涉及较多的算符对易关系，因此不易计算机编程。2. 在对称化乘积算符基础上引入了多量子积算符的概念。以In(I = 1/2; n = 2,3)体系为例，给出了两者的互换关系。推导出了具有标量耦合作用的两组合粒子体系普适的多量子积算符环对易关系及相应的演化解析式。多量子积算符方法可望将1／2－自旋磁等性组合粒子表象与自旋大于1／2的单粒子表象统一起来，并为计算机模拟提供新的数学方法。该方法尚有待于进一步研究。