Consideration Of Potential Applications Research Articles

Soliton dynamics in complex potentials

Soliton propagation dynamics under the presence of a complex potential are investigated. Cases of both symmetric and non-symmetric potentials are studied in terms of their effect on soliton dynamics. The existence of an invariant of soliton propagation under specific symmetry conditions for the real and the imaginary part of the potential is shown. The rich set of dynamical features of soliton propagation include dynamical trapping, periodic and nonperiodic soliton mass variation and non-reciprocal dynamics. These features are systematically investigated with the utilization of an effective particle phase space approach which is shown in remarkable agreement with direct numerical simulations. The generality of the results enables the consideration of potential applications where the inhomogeneity of the gain and loss is appropriately engineered in order to provide desirable soliton dynamics.

Soliton dynamics in symmetric and non-symmetric complex potentials

Soliton propagation dynamics under the presence of a complex potential are investigated. A large variety of qualitatively different potentials, including periodic, semi-infinite periodic and localized potentials, is considered. Cases of both symmetric and non-symmetric potentials are studied in terms of their effect on soliton dynamics. The rich set of dynamical features of soliton propagation includes dynamical trapping, periodic and non-periodic soliton mass variation and non-reciprocal scattering dynamics. These features are systematically investigated with the utilization of an effective particle phase space approach which is shown in remarkable agreement with direct numerical simulations. The generality of the results enables the consideration of potential applications where the inhomogeneity of the gain and loss is appropriately engineered in order to provide desirable soliton dynamics.

Dry etching of polydimethylsiloxane using microwave plasma

This paper presents a new polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) dry-etching method that uses microwave plasma. The applicability of the method for fabricating microstructures and removing residual PDMS is also verified. The etch rate of PDMS was dominantly influenced by the gas flux ratio of CF4/O2 and the microwave power. While the PDMS etch rate increased as the flux ratio of CF4 was increased, the etch rate decreased as the flux ratio of O2 was increased. The maximum etch rate of 4.31 µm min−1 was achieved when mixing oxygen (O2) and tetrafluoromethane (CF4) at a 1:2 ratio at 800 W power. The PDMS etch rate almost linearly increased with the microwave power. The ratio of the vertical etch rate to the lateral etch rate was in a range of 1.14–1.64 and varied with the gas fluxes. In consideration of potential applications of the proposed PDMS etching method, array-type PDMS microwells and network-type microprotrusion structures were fabricated. The contact angle was dramatically increased from 104° (non-etched PDMS surface) to 148° (etched PDMS surface) and the surface was thereby modified to be superhydrophobic. In addition, a thin PDMS skin that blocked holes and PDMS residues affixed in nickel microstructures was successively removed.