Search Results (27)

Quantum computing requires a novel approach to store data as quantum states, opposite to classical bits. One of the most promising candidates is entangled photons. In this manuscript, we show the photon emission in the range of microwave frequencies of three different types of superconducting circuits, a SQUID, a JPA, and a JTWPA, often used as low-noise parametric amplifiers. These devices can be operated as sources of entangled photons. We report the experimental protocol used to produce and measure microwave radiation from these circuits, as well as data simulations. The collected spectra are obtained by performing single-tone measurements with a direct rf pump on the devices; the output spectra at low powers (below $-100$ dBm) are well interpreted by the dynamical Casimir model, while at high powers (above $-100$ dBm) the system is well described by the Autler–Townes fluorescence of a three-level atom. Full article

Field emitter arrays (FEAs) are a promising component for novel vacuum micro- and nanoelectronic devices, such as microwave power amplifiers or fast-switching X-ray sources. However, the interrelated mechanisms responsible for FEA degradation and failure are not fully understood. Therefore, we present a measurement method for quantitative observation of individual emission sites during integral operation using a low-cost, commercially available CMOS imaging sensor. The emission and degradation behavior of three differently doped FEAs is investigated in current-regulated operation. The measurements reveal that the limited current of the p-doped emitters leads to an activation of up to 55% of the individual tips in the array, while the activation of the n-type FEA stopped at around 30%. This enhanced activation results in a more continuous and uniform current distribution for the p-type FEA. An analysis of the individual emitter characteristics before and after a constant current measurement provides novel perspectives on degradation behavior. A burn-in process that trims the emitting tips to an integral current-specific ideal field enhancement factor is observed. In this process, blunt tips are sharpened while sharp tips are dulled, resulting in homogenization within the FEA. The methodology is described in detail, making it easily adaptable for other groups to apply in the further development of promising FEAs. Full article

Periodic electric fields are found in many kinds of plasmas and result from the presence of collective fields amplified by plasma instabilities, or they are created by external sources such as microwave generators or lasers. The spectral lines emitted by atoms or ions in a plasma exhibit a frequency profile characteristic of plasma conditions, such as the temperature and density of charged particles. The fingerprints of periodic electric fields appear clearly on the line shape for a large range of frequencies and magnitudes of the oscillating electric field. Satellite structures appear near to multiples of the oscillation frequency and redistribute the intensity of the line far from the line center. The modeling of the simultaneous effects of the plasma microfield and of a periodic electric field has been active since the seventies, but it remains difficult to be conducted accurately since the quantum emitter is submitted to several time-dependent electric fields, each with their own characteristic time. We describe here a numerical approach which couples a simulation of the motion of charged plasma particles with an integration of the emitter Schrödinger equation. Resulting hydrogen line shapes are presented for different plasmas and periodic fields encountered in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Full article

The microwave field is used for drying and disinfecting grains during the pre-sowing seed treatment. The use of a microwave field in these installations leads to an increase in their productivity and a decrease in the energy consumed by them. In grain dryers, where the grain moves in a dense layer without being loosened, one of the challenges in using microwave fields is ensuring sufficient uniformity of the field distribution. In this article, waveguide design options that introduce microwave radiation into the grain layer are discussed. The objective of this study was to use application software to find the optimum type of transmitter from the three options presented. A mathematical simulation of the electromagnetic field distribution was performed with the use of CST Microwave Studio software 2019 in order to evaluate and compare horn-type, rectangular, and semicircular waveguides. The data on the standing wave ratio and radiation efficiency of these types of waveguides have been reported. The specific features of the microwave electromagnetic field distribution and radiation power in the output of these waveguides have been described. The results of mathematical simulations revealed that semicircular waveguides with slot-type radiators are preferable for processing dense grain layers. Full article

Consumable-free electron emitters are presently not feasible for autonomous tether-based deorbit devices such as E.T.PACK due to their power requirement. The bare-photovoltaic-tether (BPT) concept combines the bare tether electron collection with a tether segment, coated with thin film Copper Indium Gallium Selenide solar cells to harvest additional power for the cathodic contact, potentially enabling propellant-less operation. This thesis presents the first prototype of the photovoltaic tether segment, its architecture, its electrical characteristics, major challenges of the system and possible solutions. Photovoltaic tether segments of up to 3 m in length were manufactured, consisting of parallelized submodules of 25 cm in length. Due to space limitations, only the I-V-characteristics of these submodules were measured under a self-built Class BCA LED Solar-Simulator inside a vacuum chamber and at varying temperatures between −100 °C and 100 °C. In addition, the suitability of the concept for a low Earth orbit environment was assessed by performing atomic oxygen exposure tests using a microwave-based low pressure plasma atomic oxygen source. Based on the experimental data, a model is provided for predicting the performance of the photovoltaic segment in orbit, highlighting the main problems of the BPT: temperature, orientation and partial shading. Full article

It has recently been shown that the titer of the SARS-CoV-2 virus decreases in a cell culture when the cell suspension is irradiated with electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 95 GHz. We assumed that a frequency range in the gigahertz and sub-terahertz ranges was one of the key aspects in the “tuning” of flickering dipoles in the dispersion interaction process of the surfaces of supramolecular structures. To verify this assumption, the intrinsic thermal radio emission in the gigahertz range of the following nanoparticles was studied: virus-like particles (VLP) of SARS-CoV-2 and rotavirus A, monoclonal antibodies to various RBD epitopes of SARS-CoV-2, interferon-α, antibodies to interferon-γ, humic–fulvic acids, and silver proteinate. At 37 °C or when activated by light with λ = 412 nm, these particles all demonstrated an increased (by two orders of magnitude compared to the background) level of electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range. The thermal radio emission flux density specifically depended on the type of nanoparticles, their concentration, and the method of their activation. The thermal radio emission flux density was capable of reaching 20 μW/(m² sr). The thermal radio emission significantly exceeded the background only for nanoparticles with a complex surface shape (nonconvex polyhedra), while the thermal radio emission from spherical nanoparticles (latex spheres, serum albumin, and micelles) did not differ from the background. The spectral range of the emission apparently exceeded the frequencies of the Ka band (above 30 GHz). It was assumed that the complex shape of the nanoparticles contributed to the formation of temporary dipoles which, at a distance of up to 100 nm and due to the formation of an ultrahigh strength field, led to the formation of plasma-like surface regions that acted as emitters in the millimeter range. Such a mechanism makes it possible to explain many phenomena of the biological activity of nanoparticles, including the antibacterial properties of surfaces. Full article

Resin-based composites (RBCs) have transformed restorative dentistry and its procedures. However, the characteristics of RBCs have been modified over the years to enhance the physical and chemical properties of the materials. This context raises the need for studies that evaluate whether the properties of the RBCs that are commercially available are clinically adequate with different curing modes. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical behavior of commercial RBCs after undergoing different curing modes. Twenty-three RBCs of different classes were evaluated. For curing the specimens, a microwave (BMS45, Brastemp) (for 3 min at 450 W) and three LED units were used: an Emitter A Fit (Schuster (second generation)) (light-curing for 15 s with an irradiance of 1250 mW/cm²), VALO (Ultradent (third generation)) (light-curing for 15 s with an irradiance of 1100 mW/cm²), and Emitter Now Duo (Schuster (second generation)) (light-curing for 15 s with an irradiance of 1100 mW/cm²). A total of 670 RBC specimens of 8 mm in diameter and 1 mm in depth were obtained. Afterward, a biaxial flexure strength test was performed until the failure of the specimens, using a universal testing machine set at a speed of 0.5 mm/min. The same specimens were subjected to infrared spectroscopy for evaluating the degree of conversion. Tukey’s test was used for multiple comparisons at a significance level of 5%. The light-curing mode did not affect the flexure strength of the RBCs (p > 0.05), but the type and shade of RBCs did so (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the type of RBC directly interferes with the mechanical behavior of the material. However, the curing modes within the same RBC did not change the mechanical properties. Full article

A high data rate RF-DAC and a power detector (PD) are designed and fabricated in a 250 nm indium phosphide (InP) double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT) technology. A communication link using the Tx-Rx over polymer microwave fiber (PMF) is measured. The link consists of a pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) modulator and a PD as a demodulator, as well as a one-meter-long dielectric waveguide. The working frequency range of the complete link is verified to be 110–150 GHz. The peak output power of the PAM modulator is 5 dBm, and it has a −3 dB bandwidth of 43 GHz. The PD consists of a parallel connected common emitter configured transistor and a common base configured transistor to suppress the odd-order harmonics at the PD’s output, as well as a stacked transistor to amplify the output signal. Tx and Rx chips, including pads, occupy a total area of only 0.83 mm². The PMF link can support a PAM-4 signal with 22 Gbps data transmission, and a PAM-2 signal with 30 Gbps data transmission, with a bit error rate (BER) of <10−12, with demodulation performed in real time. Furthermore, the energy efficiency for the link (Tx + Rx) is 4.1 pJ/bit, using digital data input and receiving PAM-2 output (5.6 pJ/bit for PAM-4). Full article

Based on the latest design requirements proposed by the Beijing On-Line Isotope Separation (BISOL) project, a new ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{22+}$-based, 81.25 MHz CW radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) with external bunching has been designed. This RFQ can accelerate ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{22+}$ to 0.5 MeV/u with an output longitudinal-normalized rms emittance of 0.20 keV/u·ns over a length of 5.6 m. The tolerance and error analysis results indicate that this RFQ can handle a wide range of non-ideal beams while maintaining relatively lower longitudinal emittance growth and higher transmission efficiency. To maintain the beam intensity, the RFQ will simultaneously accelerate three kinds of high-charge-state mixed ions (${}^{132}{\mathrm{Sn}}^{21+}$, ${}^{132}{\mathrm{Sn}}^{22+}$ and ${}^{132}{\mathrm{Sn}}^{23+}$), the simulation results given by Impact-T show that the RFQ can achieve high transmission of the mixed beam. Compared with the previous ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{21+}$-based internal bunching RFQ scheme, this RFQ has a shorter length and smaller output emittance, which is beneficial to the designs of subsequent Medium-energy Beam Transport (MEBT) and Drift Tube Linac (DTL). In electromagnetic design, a four-vane structure with 48 tuners and 16 $\pi$-mode stabilizers (PSLs) were chosen. The results of the multi-physics analysis show that the maximum temperature rise and the maximum deformation of the cavity are 13.6 K and 40.3 µm, respectively. The results simulated with CST Microwave Studio (CST) and HFSS software were consistent. Full article

The development of metamaterial absorbers has become attractive for various fields of application, such as sensing, detectors, wireless communication, antenna design, emitters, spatial light modulators, etc. Multiband absorbers with polarization insensitivity have drawn significant attention in microwave absorption and sensing research. In this paper, we propose a quad-band polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber (MMA) for Ku- and K-band applications. The proposed patch comprises two square split-ring resonators (SSRR), four microstrip lines, and an inner Jerusalem cross to generate four corresponding resonances at 12.62 GHz,14.12 GHz, 17.53 GHz, and 19.91 GHz with 97%, 99.51%, 99%, and 99.5% absorption, respectively. The complex values of permittivity, permeability, refractive index, and impedance of MMA were extracted and discussed. The absorption mechanism of the designed MMA was explored by impedance matching, equivalent circuit model, as well as magnetic field and electric field analysis. The overall patch has a rotational-symmetrical structure, which plays a crucial role in acquiring the polarization-insensitive property. The design also shows stable absorption for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes. Its near-unity absorption and excellent sensing performance make it a potential candidate for sensing applications. Full article

Electromagnetic (EM) heating is an emerging method for storing renewable energy, such as photovoltaic solar and wind electric power, into aquifers. We investigate how the captured energy increases the temperature of a prototypical deep aquifer for a six-month period and then to which extent the stored energy can be recovered during the consecutive six months. Water injected at a constant flow rate is simultaneously heated using a high-frequency electromagnetic microwave emitter operating at the water natural resonance frequency of 2.45 GHz. The coupled reservoir flow and EM heating are described using Darcy’s and the energy balance equations. The latter includes a source term accounting for the EM wave propagation and absorption, modeled separately using Maxwell’s equations. The equations are solved numerically by the Galerkin least-squares finite element method. The approach was validated using EM-heating input data obtained from controlled laboratory experiments and then was applied to the aquifer. We found that after six years of alternate storage and recovery, up to 77% of the injected energy is recovered when considering realistic heat losses estimated from field data. Even when heat losses are increased by a factor of two, up to 69% of the injected energy is recovered in this case. This shows that down-hole EM heating is a highly effective method for storing renewable energies, capable of helping to solve their inherent intermittency. Full article

The anisotropies of the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background (SGWB), produced by merging compact binaries, constitute a possible new probe of the Large-Scale Structure (LSS). However, the significant shot noise contribution caused by the discreteness of the GW sources and the poor angular resolution of the instruments hampers the detection of the intrinsic anisotropies induced by the LSS. In this work, we investigate the potential of cross-correlating forthcoming high precision measurements of the SGWB energy density and the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) lensing convergence to mitigate the effect of shot noise. Combining a detailed model of stellar and galactic astrophysics with a novel framework to distribute the GW emitters in the sky, we compute the auto- and cross-correlation power spectra for the two cosmic fields, evaluate the shot noise contribution and predict the signal-to-noise ratio. The results of our analysis show that the SGWB energy density correlates significantly with the CMB lensing convergence and that the cross-correlation between these two cosmic fields reduces the impact of instrumental and shot noise. Unfortunately, the S/N is not high enough to detect the intrinsic SGWB anisotropies. Nevertheless, a network composed of both present and future generation GW interferometers, operating for at least 10 yrs, should be able to measure the shot noise contribution. Full article

In this work, we analyze the effect of the distribution of transparent Fresnel regions over the focusing profile of Soret Zone Plates (SZP) based on binary sequences. It is shown that this effect becomes very significant in those fields where directional transducers are employed, such as microwaves or acoustics. A thorough analysis of both the SZP transmission efficiency and the focusing enhancement factor is presented. Moreover, experimental measurements are also carried out for a particular type of binary sequence, the Cantor ternary set, validating the theoretical model and demonstrating that the distribution of transparent Fresnel regions becomes a critical parameter in applications requiring directional emitters. Full article

Synthetic procedures to obtain size and shape-controlled microparticles hold great promise to achieve structural control on the microscale of macroscopic ceramic- or composite-materials. Lutetium oxide is a material relevant for scintillation due to its high density and the possibility to dope with rare earth emitter ions. However, rare earth sesquioxides are challenging to synthesise using bottom-up methods. Therefore, calcination represents an interesting approach to transform lutetium-based particles to corresponding sesquioxides. Here, the controlled solvothermal synthesis of size-tuneable europium doped Lu(OH)₂Cl microplatelets and their heat-induced transformation to Eu:Lu₂O₃ above 800 °C are described. The particles obtained in microwave solvothermal conditions, and their thermal evolution were studied using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optical microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), luminescence spectroscopy (PL/PLE) and infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The successful transformation of Eu:Lu(OH)₂Cl particles into polycrystalline Eu:Lu₂O₃ microparticles is reported, together with the detailed analysis of their initial and final morphology. Full article

In the last few years, imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine scaffolds and derivatives have attracted growing attention due to their unique chemical structure and optical behaviors. In this work, a series of pyridylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine derivatives and their corresponding pyridinium salts were synthesized and their optical properties investigated to evaluate the effect of the quaternization on the optical features both in solution and polymeric matrix. A critical analysis based on the spectroscopic data, chemical structures along with density functional theory calculation is reported to address the best strategies to prevent aggregation and optimize the photophysical properties. The obtained results describe the relationship between chemical structure and optical behaviors, highlighting the role of pendant pyridine. Finally, the presence of a positive charge is fundamental to avoid any possible aggregation process in polymeric films. Full article