Coherent enhancement of broadband frequency up-conversion in BBO crystal by shaping femtosecond laser pulses

An optimal feedback control of broadband frequency up-conversion in BBO crystal is experimentally demonstrated by shaping femto-second laser pulses based on genetic algorithm, and the frequency up-conversion efficiency can be enhanced by similar to 16%. SPIDER results show that the optimal laser pulses have shorter pulse-width with the little negative chirp than the original pulse with the little positive chirp. By modulating the fundamental spectral phase with periodic square distribution on SLM-256, the frequency up-conversion can be effectively controlled by the factor of about 17%. The experimental results indicate that the broadband frequency up-conversion efficiency is related to both of second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG), where the former depends on the fundamental pulse intensity, and the latter depends on not only the fundamental pulse intensity but also the fundamental pulse spectral phase. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resonance cones and mode conversion in a warm magnetized bounded plasma

The warm plasma resonance cone structure of the quasistatic field produced by a gap source in a bounded magnetized slab plasma is determined theoretically. This is initially determined for a homogeneous or mildly inhomogeneous plasma with source frequency lying between the lower hybrid frequency and the plasma frequency. It is then extended to the complicated case of an inhomogeneous plasma with two internal lower hybrid layers present, which is of interest to radio frequency heating of plasmas.

In the first case, the potential is obtained as a sum of multiply reflected warm plasma resonance cones, each of which has a similar structure, but a different size, amplitude, and position. An important interference between nearby multiply-reflected resonance cones is found. The cones are seen to spread out as they move away from the source, so that this interference increases and the individual resonance cones become obscured far away from the source.

In the second case, the potential is found to be expressible as a sum of multiply-reflected, multiply-tunnelled, and mode converted resonance cones, each of which has a unique but similar structure. The effects of both collisional and collisionless damping are included and their effects on the decay of the cone structure studied. Various properties of the cones such as how they move into and out of the hybrid layers, through the evanescent region, and transform at the hybrid layers are determined. It is found that cones can tunnel through the evanescent layer if the layer is thin, and the effect of the thin evanescent layer is to subdue the secondary maxima of cone relative to the main peak, while slightly broadening the main peak and shifting it closer to the cold plasma cone line.

Energy theorems for quasistatic fields are developed and applied to determine the power flow and absorption along the individual cones. This reveals the points of concentration of the flow and the various absorption mechanisms.

A study of a new electromechanical energy conversion process using superconducting frequency modulated resonators

Experimental demonstrations and theoretical analyses of a new electromechanical energy conversion process which is made feasible only by the unique properties of superconductors are presented in this dissertation. This energy conversion process is characterized by a highly efficient direct energy transformation from microwave energy into mechanical energy or vice versa and can be achieved at high power level. It is an application of a well established physical principle known as the adiabatic theorem (Boltzmann-Ehrenfest theorem) and in this case time dependent superconducting boundaries provide the necessary interface between the microwave energy on one hand and the mechanical work on the other. The mechanism which brings about the conversion is another known phenomenon - the Doppler effect. The resonant frequency of a superconducting resonator undergoes continuous infinitesimal shifts when the resonator boundaries are adiabatically changed in time by an external mechanical mechanism. These small frequency shifts can accumulate coherently over an extended period of time to produce a macroscopic shift when the resonator remains resonantly excited throughout this process. In addition, the electromagnetic energy in s ide the resonator which is proportional to the oscillation frequency is al so accordingly changed so that a direct conversion between electromagnetic and mechanical energies takes place. The intrinsically high efficiency of this process is due to the electromechanical interactions involved in the conversion rather than a process of thermodynamic nature and therefore is not limited by the thermodynamic value.

A highly reentrant superconducting resonator resonating in the range of 90 to 160 MHz was used for demonstrating this new conversion technique. The resonant frequency was mechanically modulated at a rate of two kilohertz. Experimental results showed that the time evolution of the electromagnetic energy inside this frequency modulated (FM) superconducting resonator indeed behaved as predicted and thus demonstrated the unique features of this process. A proposed usage of FM superconducting resonators as electromechanical energy conversion devices is given along with some practical design considerations. This device seems to be very promising in producing high power (~10W/cm^3) microwave energy at 10 - 30 GHz.

Weakly coupled FM resonator system is also analytically studied for its potential applications. This system shows an interesting switching characteristic with which the spatial distribution of microwave energies can be manipulated by external means. It was found that if the modulation was properly applied, a high degree (>95%) of unidirectional energy transfer from one resonator to the other could be accomplished. Applications of this characteristic to fabricate high efficiency energy switching devices and high power microwave pulse generators are also found feasible with present superconducting technology.

Application of ipil- ipil leaf meal (IILM) as feed Ingredient for Monosex tilapia fry (oreochronis niioticus) : In terms of growth and economics

The Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephal) leaf analyzed for crude protein (CP), fat, crude fibre (CF), ash content, moisture content and nitrogen free extract (NFE). The CP 23± 0.12 % , fat 8 ± 0.11 %, CF 18 ± 0.15 % , ash 10 ± 0.13 %, moisture 14. ± .16% and NFE 29.± 1.10 % were recorded. A twenty one days experiment was conduced to assess the response of juvenile monosex tilapia with different iso-nitrogenous formulated diets for find out the feasibility study of using ipil-ipil leaf meals as feed ingredient for juvenile tilapia. Three experimental diets were formulated by using fish meal, soybean meal, rice bran and ipil ipil leaf meal. One control diet was formulated by using fish meal, soybean meal and rice bran. Considering the high demand, limited availability of fish meal and soybean meal, ipil ipil leaf meal was incorporated in juvenile tilapia feed. Among plant protein ingredients ipil ipil leaf meal was considered as the most nutritive plant protein source after soybean meal. However, high concentration of toxic element limited the incorporation level of ipil ipil leaf meal in fish feed. Use of 15 % ipil ipil leaf meal in fish feed was more significant from the view of growth performance and economics. The higher Absolute Growth was 1119.26 gm, higher Specific Growth Rate was 6.52% /day higher Feed Conversion Efficiency was 41.23% , higher Protein Efficiency Ratio was 1.178 and higher Average Daily Growth rate was 14.00% recorded in diet-4 ( which contained 15% IILM). The lower Feed Conversion Ratio 2.42 and lower cost for per unit production 34.65 taka/kg were recorded in diet-4. The higher cost for per unit fish production 45.6 tk./kg was recorded for diet-1 where no ipil ipil leaf meal.. The results suggest that tree legumes Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephal) leaf has potential and excellent source of feed ingredients as protein supplements for juvenile monosex

Injection Locked Clocking and Transmitter Equalization Techniques for Chip to Chip Interconnects

Semiconductor technology scaling has enabled drastic growth in the computational capacity of integrated circuits (ICs). This constant growth drives an increasing demand for high bandwidth communication between ICs. Electrical channel bandwidth has not been able to keep up with this demand, making I/O link design more challenging. Interconnects which employ optical channels have negligible frequency dependent loss and provide a potential solution to this I/O bandwidth problem. Apart from the type of channel, efficient high-speed communication also relies on generation and distribution of multi-phase, high-speed, and high-quality clock signals. In the multi-gigahertz frequency range, conventional clocking techniques have encountered several design challenges in terms of power consumption, skew and jitter. Injection-locking is a promising technique to address these design challenges for gigahertz clocking. However, its small locking range has been a major contributor in preventing its ubiquitous acceptance.

In the first part of this dissertation we describe a wideband injection locking scheme in an LC oscillator. Phase locked loop (PLL) and injection locking elements are combined symbiotically to achieve wide locking range while retaining the simplicity of the latter. This method does not require a phase frequency detector or a loop filter to achieve phase lock. A mathematical analysis of the system is presented and the expression for new locking range is derived. A locking range of 13.4 GHz–17.2 GHz (25%) and an average jitter tracking bandwidth of up to 400 MHz are measured in a high-Q LC oscillator. This architecture is used to generate quadrature phases from a single clock without any frequency division. It also provides high frequency jitter filtering while retaining the low frequency correlated jitter essential for forwarded clock receivers.

To improve the locking range of an injection locked ring oscillator; QLL (Quadrature locked loop) is introduced. The inherent dynamics of injection locked quadrature ring oscillator are used to improve its locking range from 5% (7-7.4GHz) to 90% (4-11GHz). The QLL is used to generate accurate clock phases for a four channel optical receiver using a forwarded clock at quarter-rate. The QLL drives an injection locked oscillator (ILO) at each channel without any repeaters for local quadrature clock generation. Each local ILO has deskew capability for phase alignment. The optical-receiver uses the inherent frequency to voltage conversion provided by the QLL to dynamically body bias its devices. A wide locking range of the QLL helps to achieve a reliable data-rate of 16-32Gb/s and adaptive body biasing aids in maintaining an ultra-low power consumption of 153pJ/bit.

From the optical receiver we move on to discussing a non-linear equalization technique for a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) based optical transmitter, to enable low-power, high-speed optical transmission. A non-linear time domain optical model of the VCSEL is built and evaluated for accuracy. The modelling shows that, while conventional FIR-based pre-emphasis works well for LTI electrical channels, it is not optimum for the non-linear optical frequency response of the VCSEL. Based on the simulations of the model an optimum equalization methodology is derived. The equalization technique is used to achieve a data-rate of 20Gb/s with power efficiency of 0.77pJ/bit.

Light-matter Interactions in Semiconductors and Metals: From Nitride Optoelectronics to Quantum Plasmonics

This thesis puts forth a theory-directed approach coupled with spectroscopy aimed at the discovery and understanding of light-matter interactions in semiconductors and metals.

The first part of the thesis presents the discovery and development of Zn-IV nitride materials.The commercial prominence in the optoelectronics industry of tunable semiconductor alloy materials based on nitride semiconductor devices, specifically InGaN, motivates the search for earth-abundant alternatives for use in efficient, high-quality optoelectronic devices. II-IV-N2 compounds, which are closely related to the wurtzite-structured III-N semiconductors, have similar electronic and optical properties to InGaN namely direct band gaps, high quantum efficiencies and large optical absorption coefficients. The choice of different group II and group IV elements provides chemical diversity that can be exploited to tune the structural and electronic properties through the series of alloys. The first theoretical and experimental investigation of the ZnSnxGe1−xN2 series as a replacement for III-nitrides is discussed here.

The second half of the thesis shows ab−initio calculations for surface plasmons and plasmonic hot carrier dynamics. Surface plasmons, electromagnetic modes confined to the surface of a conductor-dielectric interface, have sparked renewed interest because of their quantum nature and their broad range of applications. The decay of surface plasmons is usually a detriment in the field of plasmonics, but the possibility to capture the energy normally lost to heat would open new opportunities in photon sensors, energy conversion devices and switching. A theoretical understanding of plasmon-driven hot carrier generation and relaxation dynamics in the ultrafast regime is presented here. Additionally calculations for plasmon-mediated upconversion as well as an energy-dependent transport model for these non-equilibrium carriers are shown.

Finally, this thesis gives an outlook on the potential of non-equilibrium phenomena in metals and semiconductors for future light-based technologies.

Anomalous electric dipole internal conversion

Electric dipole internal conversion has been experimentally studied for several nuclei in the rare earth region. Anomalies in the conversion process have been interpreted in terms of nuclear structure effects. It was found that all the experimental results could be interpreted in terms of the j ∙ r type of penetration matrix element; the j ∙ ∇ type of penetration matrix element was not important. The ratio λ of the El j ∙ r penetration matrix element to the El gamma-ray matrix element was determined from the experiments to be:

Lu¹⁷⁵,396 keV, λ = - 1000 ± 100;

282 keV, λ = 500 ± 100;

144 keV, λ = 500 ± 250;

Hf¹⁷⁷, 321 keV λ = - 1400 ± 200;

208 keV λ = - 90 ± 40;

72 keV |λ| ≤ 650;

Gd¹⁵⁵, 86 keV λ = - 150 ± 100;

Tm¹⁶⁹, 63 keV λ = - 100 ± 100;

W¹⁸², 152 keV, λ = - 160 ±80;

67 keV, λ = - 100 ± 100.

Predictions for λ are made using the unified nuclear model.

SteelConverter and Caltech VirtualShaker: Rapid Nonlinear Cloud-Based Structural Model Conversion and Analysis

STEEL, the Caltech created nonlinear large displacement analysis software, is currently used by a large number of researchers at Caltech. However, due to its complexity, lack of visualization tools (such as pre- and post-processing capabilities) rapid creation and analysis of models using this software was difficult. SteelConverter was created as a means to facilitate model creation through the use of the industry standard finite element solver ETABS. This software allows users to create models in ETABS and intelligently convert model information such as geometry, loading, releases, fixity, etc., into a format that STEEL understands. Models that would take several days to create and verify now take several hours or less. The productivity of the researcher as well as the level of confidence in the model being analyzed is greatly increased.

It has always been a major goal of Caltech to spread the knowledge created here to other universities. However, due to the complexity of STEEL it was difficult for researchers or engineers from other universities to conduct analyses. While SteelConverter did help researchers at Caltech improve their research, sending SteelConverter and its documentation to other universities was less than ideal. Issues of version control, individual computer requirements, and the difficulty of releasing updates made a more centralized solution preferred. This is where the idea for Caltech VirtualShaker was born. Through the creation of a centralized website where users could log in, submit, analyze, and process models in the cloud, all of the major concerns associated with the utilization of SteelConverter were eliminated. Caltech VirtualShaker allows users to create profiles where defaults associated with their most commonly run models are saved, and allows them to submit multiple jobs to an online virtual server to be analyzed and post-processed. The creation of this website not only allowed for more rapid distribution of this tool, but also created a means for engineers and researchers with no access to powerful computer clusters to run computationally intensive analyses without the excessive cost of building and maintaining a computer cluster.

In order to increase confidence in the use of STEEL as an analysis system, as well as verify the conversion tools, a series of comparisons were done between STEEL and ETABS. Six models of increasing complexity, ranging from a cantilever column to a twenty-story moment frame, were analyzed to determine the ability of STEEL to accurately calculate basic model properties such as elastic stiffness and damping through a free vibration analysis as well as more complex structural properties such as overall structural capacity through a pushover analysis. These analyses showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares on every aspect of each analysis. However, these analyses also showed the ability of the STEEL analysis algorithm to converge at significantly larger drifts than ETABS when using the more computationally expensive and structurally realistic fiber hinges. Following the ETABS analysis, it was decided to repeat the comparisons in a software more capable of conducting highly nonlinear analysis, called Perform. These analyses again showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares in every aspect of each analysis through instability. However, due to some limitations in Perform, free vibration analyses for the three story one bay chevron brace frame, two bay chevron brace frame, and twenty story moment frame could not be conducted. With the current trend towards ultimate capacity analysis, the ability to use fiber based models allows engineers to gain a better understanding of a building’s behavior under these extreme load scenarios.

Following this, a final study was done on Hall’s U20 structure [1] where the structure was analyzed in all three softwares and their results compared. The pushover curves from each software were compared and the differences caused by variations in software implementation explained. From this, conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of each analysis tool when attempting to analyze structures through the point of geometric instability. The analyses show that while ETABS was capable of accurately determining the elastic stiffness of the model, following the onset of inelastic behavior the analysis tool failed to converge. However, for the small number of time steps the ETABS analysis was converging, its results exactly matched those of STEEL, leading to the conclusion that ETABS is not an appropriate analysis package for analyzing a structure through the point of collapse when using fiber elements throughout the model. The analyses also showed that while Perform was capable of calculating the response of the structure accurately, restrictions in the material model resulted in a pushover curve that did not match that of STEEL exactly, particularly post collapse. However, such problems could be alleviated by choosing a more simplistic material model.

Nuclear structure effects in internal conversion

Experimental studies of nuclear effects in internal conversion in Ta¹⁸¹ and Lu¹⁷⁵ have been performed. Nuclear structure effects (“penetration” effects), in internal conversion are described in general. Calculation of theoretical conversion coefficients are outlined. Comparisons with the theoretical conversion coefficient tables of Rose and Sliv and Band are made. Discrepancies between our results and those of Rose and Sliv are noted. The theoretical conversion coefficients of Sliv and Band are in substantially better agreement with our results than are those of Rose. The ratio of the M1 penetration matrix element to the M1 gamma-ray matrix element, called λ, is equal to + 175 ± 25 for the 482 keV transition in Ta¹⁸¹ . The results for the 343 keV transition in Lu¹⁷⁵ indicate that λ may be as large as – 8 ± 5. These transitions are discussed in terms of the unified collective model. Precision L subshell measurements in Tm¹⁶⁹ (130keV), W¹⁸² (100 keV), and Ta¹⁸¹ (133 keV) show definite systematic deviations from the theoretical conversion coefficients. The possibility of explaining these deviations by penetration effects is investigated and is shown to be excluded. Other explanations of these anomalies are discussed.

Strong visible up-conversion emission in Tb3+, Tm3+ and Tb3+-Tm3+ co-doped tellurite glasses sensitized by Yb3+

Up-conversion luminescence characteristics under 975 nm excitation have been investigated with Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped tellurite glasses. Here, green (547 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(4)) and red (660 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(2)) up-conversion (UC) luminescence originating from Tb3+ is observed strongly, because of the quadratic dependences of emission intensities on the excitation power. Especially, the UC luminescence was intensified violently with the energy transfer from the Tm3+ ions involves in the Tb3+ excitation. To the Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped glass system, a novel up-conversion mechanism is proposed as follows: the energy of (3)G(4) level (Tm3+) was transferred to D-5(4) (Tb3+) and the 477-nm UC luminescence of Tm3+ was nearly quenched. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of beam-quality degradation in nonlinear frequency conversion

Based on the ripple transfers of electric-field amplitude and phase in frequency tripling, simple formulas are derived for the harmonic laser's beam-quality factor M-3omega(2), with an arbitrary fundamental incidence to ideal nonlinear crystals. Whereas the harmonic beam's quality is generally degraded, the beam's divergence is similar to that of the fundamental after nonlinear frequency conversion. For practical crystals with periodic surface ripples that are caused by their machining, a multiorder diffractive model is presented with which the focusing properties of harmonic beams can be studied. Predictions of the theories are shown to be in excellent agreement with full numerical simulations. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.

Design of a highly stable, high-conversion-efficiency pumping source for optical parametric amplifier by extending efficient crystal length

The objective of this study is to improve the stability of pumping source of optical parametric amplifier. Analysis by simulation leads to the conclusion that the stability of the second harmonic can be improved by using properly the intensity of fundamental light and corresponding length of the crystal. By the method of the noncollinear two-pass second harmonic or the tandem second harmonic, the efficient crystal length is extended to a proper value, and the stability of the second harmonic output has been improved two times more than that for the fundamental light, and the conversion-efficiency is about 70% in experiment. When the variation of the fundamental light is about 10%, the variation of the second harmonic intensity has been controlled within 5%. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast and Efficient Neural Conversion of Human Hematopoietic Cells

Neurons obtained directly from human somatic cells hold great promise for disease modeling and drug screening. Available protocols rely on overexpression of transcription factors using integrative vectors and are often slow, complex, and inefficient. We report a fast and efficient approach for generating induced neural cells (iNCs) directly from human hematopoietic cells using Sendai virus. Upon SOX2 and c-MYC expression, CD133-positive cord blood cells rapidly adopt a neuroepithelial morphology and exhibit high expansion capacity. Under defined neurogenic culture conditions, they express mature neuronal markers and fire spontaneous action potentials that can be modulated with neurotransmitters. SOX2 and c-MYC are also sufficient to convert peripheral blood mononuclear cells into iNCs. However, the conversion process is less efficient and resulting iNCs have limited expansion capacity and electrophysiological activity upon differentiation. Our study demonstrates rapid and efficient generation of iNCs from hematopoietic cells while underscoring the impact of target cells on conversion efficiency.

Infrared-to-visible upconversion emissions in Er3+ doped TeO2-based oxyhalide glasses

The fluorescence and up-conversion spectral properties of Er3+-doped TeO2-ZnO and TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 glasses suitable for developing optical fiber amplifier and laser have been fabricate and characterized. Strong green (around 527-550 nm) and red (around 661 nm) up-conversion emissions under 977 nm laser diode excitation were investigated, corresponding to H-2(11/2), S-4(3/2), --> I-4(15/2) and F-4(9/2) --> I-4(15/2) transitions of Er3+ ions respectively, have been observed and the involved mechanisms have been explained. The dependence of up-converted fluorescence intensity versus laser power confirm that two-photons contribute to up-conversion of the green-red emissions. The novelty of this kind of optical material has been its ability in resisting devitrification, and its promising optical properties strongly encourage for their further development as the rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifiers and upconversion fiber laser systems.

New transparent Er3+-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glass ceramic with improved near infrared and up-conversion fluorescence properties

Transparent glass ceramics have been obtained by nucleation and growth of Y2Te6O15 or Er2Te5O13 cubic phase in a new Er3+-doped oxyfluoride tellurite glass. Effect of beat treatment on absorption spectra, luminescence and up-conversion properties in the oxyfluoride tellurite glass has been investigated. With heat treatment the ultraviolet absorption edge red shifted evidently for the oxyfluoride telluride glass. The near infrared emission that corresponds to Er3+:I-4(13/2)-> I-4(15/2) can be significantly enhanced after heat treatment. Under 980 nm LD pumping, red and green up-conversion intensity of Er3+ in the glass ceramic can be observed much stronger than that in the base glass. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.