Influence of mode symmetry on quality factors of degenerate states in microlasers with an equilateral triangle resonator

Modes in equilateral triangle resonator (ETR) are analyzed and classified according to the irreducible representations of the point group C-3v., Both the analytical method based on the far field emission and the numerical method by FDTD technique are used to calculate the quality factors (Q-factors) of the doubly degenerate states in ETR. Results obtained from the two methods are in reasonable agreement. Considering the different symmetry properties of the doubly degenerate eigenstates, we also discuss the ETR joined with an output waveguide at one of the vertices by FDTD technique and the Pade approximation. The variation of Q-factors versus width of output waveguide is analyzed. The numerical results show that doubly degenerate eigenstates of TM0.36 and TM0.38 whose wavelengths are around 1.5 mu m in the resonator with side-length of 5 mu m have the Q-factors larger than 1000 when the width of the output waveguide is smaller than 0.4 mu m. When the width of the output waveguide is set to 0.3 mu m, the symmetrical states that are more efficiently coupled to output waveguide have Q-factors about 8000, which are over 3 times larger than those of asymmetric state.

Phase-locked ring-defect photonic crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Phase-locked oxide-confined ring-defect photonic crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is presented. The coupled-mode theory is employed to illustrate the two supermodes of the device, in-phase and out-of-phase supermode. Experimental results verify the two supermodes by the characteristics of the spectra and the far field patterns. At the lower current, only the out-of-phase supermode is excited, whereas under the higher current, the in-phase supermode also appears at the shorter wavelength range. In addition, the measured spectral separation between the two supermodes agrees well with the theoretical result.

12 W high efficiency single frequency ring laser

Single-frequency output power of 12 W at 1064 nm is demonstrated. Pumped by a fiber-coupled diode laser, the Nd:YVO4 produces 58.6% of the slope efficiency with respect to absorbed pump power, and 52.7% of the optical-optical efficiency and nearly diffraction-limited output with a beam quality parameter of M-2 approximate to 1.11. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest slope efficiency and optical-optical efficiency in single-frequency Nd:YVO4 ring laser. The slope efficiency of the single frequency laser is close to the limit of the efficiency. [GRAPHICS] output spectrum of the single-frequency Nd:YVO4 ring laser

Analysis of leakage current in GaAs micro-solar cell arrays

The output characteristics of micro-solar cell arrays are analyzed on the basis of a modified model in which the shunt resistance between cell lines results in current leakage. The modification mainly consists of adding a shunt resistor network to the traditional model. The obtained results agree well with the reported experimental results. The calculation results demonstrate that leakage current in substrate affects seriously the performance of GaAs micro- solar cell arrays. The performance of arrays can be improved by reducing the number of cells per line. In addition, at a certain level of integration, an appropriate space occupancy rate of the single cell is recommended for ensuring high open circuit voltages, and it is more appropriate to set the rates at 80%-90% through the calculation.

Kondo effect in a triangular triple quantum dots ring with three terminals

For a triangular triple quantum dots (TTQDs) ring with three terminals, when lowering one of the dot-lead coupling to realize the left-right (L-R) reflection symmetry coupling, the internal C-upsilon of the TTQDs is well preserved in the absence of many-body effect for the symmetric distribution of the dot-lead coupling on the molecular orbits. In the presence of Kondo effect, the decrement of one of the dot-lead couplings suppresses the inter-dot hopping. This happens especially for the coupled quantum dot (QD), which decouples with the other two ones gradually to form a localized state near the Fermi level As a result, the internal dynamic symmetry of the TTQDs ring is reduced to L-R reflection symmetry, and simultaneously, the linear conductance is lifted for the new forming molecular orbit near the Fermi level

A new prototype of self-pressurizing fuel tank for micro and nano-satellites

To increase effective load, light-weight micro-propulsion system is necessary for micro-satellites. Traditional propulsion systems including large and heavy high-pressure vessels are difficult to be scaled down to fulfill the demand of micro-satellites. In this article, a novel self-pressurizing fuel tank without high-pressure gas vessel is proposed. When some liquid propellant is consumed, pressure is compensated with CO2 released by heating NH4HCO3 powder in the fuel tank. Comparing with other types of self-pressurizing liquid fuel tank, a gas generator with special and simple structure was designed to stop or continue the NH4HCO3 decomposition reaction easily, and consumed a small amount of energy to heat the powder effectively. Performance tests showed that this new prototype is very suitable for micro-thrusters.

Multi-channel effect of condensation flow in a micro triple-channel condenser

Multi-channel effect is important to understand transport phenomenon in phase change systems with parallel channels. In this paper, visualization studies were performed to study the multi-channel effect in a silicon triple-channel condenser with an aspect ratio of 0.04. Saturated water vapor was pumped into the microcondenser, which was horizontally positioned. The condenser was cooled by the air natural convention heat transfer in the air environment. Flow patterns are either the annular flow at high inlet vapor pressures, or a quasi-stable elongated bubble at the microchannel upstream followed by a detaching or detached miniature bubble at smaller inlet vapor pressures. The downstream miniature bubble was detached from the elongated bubble tip induced by the maximum Weber number there. It is observed that either a single vapor thread or dual vapor threads are at the front of the elongated bubble. A miniature bubble is fully formed by breaking up the vapor thread or threads. The transient vapor thread formation and breakup process is exactly symmetry against the centerline of the center channel. In side channels, the Marangoni effect induced by the small temperature variation over the channel width direction causes the vapor thread formation and breakup process deviating from the side channel centerline and approaching the center channel. The Marangoni effect further forces the detached bubble to rotate and approach the center channel, because the center channel always has higher temperatures, indicating the multi-channel effect. 

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of shock waves in micro convergent-divergent nozzles

The steady two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with the slip wall boundary conditions were used to simulate the supersonic flow in micro convergent-divergent nozzles. It is observed that shock waves can take place inside or outside of the micronozzles under the earth environment. For the over-expanded flows, there is a boundary layer separation point, downstream of which a wave interface separates the viscous boundary layer with back air flow and the inviscid core flow. The oblique shock wave is followed by the bow shock and shock diamond. The viscous boundary layer thickness relative to the whole nozzle width on the exit plane is increased but attains the maximum value around of 0.5 and oscillates against this value with the continuous increasing of the nozzle upstream pressures. The viscous effect either changes the normal shock waves outside of the nozzle for the inviscid flow to the oblique shock waves inside the nozzle, or transfers the expansion jet flow without shock waves for the inviscid flow to the oblique shock waves outside of the nozzle. 

Thermal performance of a micro-combustor for micro-gas turbine system

Premixed combustion of hydrogen gas and air was performed in a stainless steel based micro-annular combustor for a micro-gas turbine system. Micro-scale combustion has proved to be stable in the micro-combustor with a gap of 2 mm. The operating range of the micro-combustor was measured, and the maximum excess air ratio is up to 4.5. The distribution of the outer wall temperature and the temperature of exhaust gas of the micro-conbustor with excess air ratio were obtained, and the wall temperature of the micro-combustor reaches its maximum value at the excess air ratio of 0.9 instead of 1 (stoichiometric ratio). The heat loss of the micro-combustor to the environment was calculated and even exceeds 70% of the total thermal power computed from the consumed hydrogen mass flow rate. Moreover, radiant hunt transfer covers a large fraction of the total heat loss. Measures used to reduce the heat loss were proposed to improve the thermal performance of the micro-combustor. The optimal operating status of the micro-combustor and micro-gas turbine is analyzed and proposed by analyzing the relationship of the temperature of the exhaust gas of the micro-combustor with thermal power and excess air ratio. The investigation of the thermal performance of the micro-combustor is helpful to design an improved microcombustor.

Phase locking of fibre lasers by self-imaging resonator

Experimental demonstrations of the use of a self-imaging resonator in the phase locking of two fibre lasers are presented. The output power of the phase-locked fibre laser array exceeded 2 W Successful attempts of phase locking show that the fibre laser array is not only capable of producing high Output Power but also large on-axis intensity by this method.

Harmonic mode-locked ytterbium-doped fibre ring laser

We demonstrate a harmonic mode-locked ytterbium-doped fibre ring laser, which consists of a polarization-sensitive isolator, two polarization controllers, two 976 nm laser diodes as the pump source and a two-segment ytterbium-doped fibre. Utilizing an additive pulse mode-locked technique based on nonlinear polarization evolution, the ytterbium-doped fibre laser can operate in mode-locked state by adjusting the position of polarization controllers. The cavity fundamental repetition rate is 23.78 MHz. We also observe the second- and third-harmonic mode locking in the normal dispersion region, and their repetition rates are 47.66 MHz and 71.56 MHz, respectively. Over-driving of the saturable absorber in the harmonic mode-locking pulse is analysed and discussed in detail.