Field Coupling Research Articles

Can specific THz fields induce collective base-flipping in DNA? A stochastic averaging and resonant enhancement investigation based on a new mesoscopic model.

We study the metastability, internal frequencies, activation mechanism, energy transfer, and the collective base-flipping in a mesoscopic DNA via resonance with specific electric fields. Our new mesoscopic DNA model takes into account not only the issues of helicity and the coupling of an electric field with the base dipole moments, but also includes environmental effects, such as fluid viscosity and thermal noise. Also, all the parameter values are chosen to best represent the typical values for the opening and closing dynamics of a DNA. Our study shows that while the mesoscopic DNA is metastable and robust to environmental effects, it is vulnerable to certain frequencies that could be targeted by specific THz fields for triggering its collective base-flipping dynamics and causing large amplitude separation of base pairs. Based on applying the Freidlin-Wentzell method of stochastic averaging and the newly developed theory of resonant enhancement to our mesoscopic DNA model, our semi-analytic estimates show that the required fields should be THz fields with frequencies around 0.28 THz and with amplitudes in the order of 450 kV/cm. These estimates compare well with the experimental data of Titova et al., which have demonstrated that they could affect the function of DNA in human skin tissues by THz pulses with frequencies around 0.5 THz and with a peak electric field at 220 kV/cm. Moreover, our estimates also conform to a number of other experimental results, which appeared in the last couple years.

Jet slipping mechanism and fabricating of composite fiber by multiple field coupling

AbstractThe rotary jet spinning process involves the joint action of centrifugal force, gravity, temperature, humidity, and flow fields on the spinning solution. The solution is ejected through the nozzle after flowing from the storage container and stretched in the air to form a composite fiber. At present, the investigation of rotary jet composite spinning primarily focused on the dynamics and kinematics of the spinning solution and jet within the container. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive exploration into the motion and slip phenomena exhibited by the composite spinning solution in air. This article investigates the slip phenomenon between the polymer and the gas contact surface after the spinning solution leaves the spinneret aperture. A slip model is established to analyze the motion and force of the polymer in air. Meanwhile, a mathematical model for the evaporation rate of composite spinning solution motion under the influence of multi‐field coupling is established through theoretical analysis. A numerical simulation of the rotary jet spinning process was conducted to obtain clouds of jet exit velocity. The morphology of composite fibers produced by rotary jet spinning was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, enabling a comparison of diameter distribution and surface quality under different environmental and equipment parameters. This study provides a certain reference for the preparation of high‐quality composite fibers.

Investigation of the humidity control in the printing space for the material extrusion of medical biodegradable hydrogel

Materials extrusion for medical biodegradable hydrogel manifests potential for the fabrication of biomimetic functionalized tissues in tissue engineering. However, the uncontrollable shape of 3D printed structures usually leads to shrinkage as well as collapse of the prepared biocompatible scaffold, which limits the potential to develop large-size tissue or organs. Uncontrollable ambient humidity during the 3D printing process is a primary cause of the moisture loss and geometric variation of prepared architectures, which means the humidity in the printing space of hydrogel materials must be controlled accurately throughout the extrusion process. This study proposed a novel configuration of humidity-controlled atmospheric enclosure, by which the humidity distribution in the printing space can be accurately regulated. Subsequently, a fluid-thermal-humidity coupling field simulation model based on the finite element method was established to numerically investigate the humidity field in the printing space. Furthermore, printing trials were conducted with the proposed atmospheric enclosure, and the moisture loss of 3D architecture was avoided. The size of the scaffold was improved evidently from 25 mm(length) × 25 mm(width) × 0.6 mm(height) to 25 mm(length) × 25 mm(width) × 3.5 mm(height).

A Monte Carlo study of Magnetic and thermodynamic behaviors of L[formula omitted] structure like quadrangular frustum pyramid nanoisland

Based on the Monte Carlo simulation, research has been conducted on the magnetic and thermodynamic behaviors of a ferrimagnetic mixed-spin (5/2, 1/2) L10 nanoisland with a like quadrangular frustum pyramid structure. We studied the effects of the magneto-crystal anisotropy and exchange coupling on the magnetization, susceptibility, internal energy, and hysteresis loops. The ferrimagnetic system exhibits more abundant magnetic and thermodynamic behavior than the cubic L10 nanoisland. We found eight saturation values of magnetization, five-loop hysteresis loops, and abrupt transitions in the low-temperature region. In addition, the exchange coupling effect of ferrimagnetism also promotes magnetic properties. Interestingly, in this system, the ferromagnetic exchange coupling (Jaa) and external magnetic field (h) linearly depend on the blocking temperature TB. The hysteresis loops of the system have more magnetization steps, which reflects that it has more ground state spin configurations.

Construction and photothermal properties of Ag–Pt nanoparticles modified hierarchical porous carbon film with ultra-wide infrared spectrum absorption

The rapid development and popularization of infrared detectors have expressed higher and urgent requirements for the light harvesting and photothermal conversion capability of infrared sensitive films. Herein, a hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) derived from polymer carbonization was employed as the porous framework, and then was modified with Pt and Ag particles to construct an efficient photothermal conversion film with ultra-wide infrared spectrum absorption. The light-trapping effect of special porous microstructure, introduction of enormous defects, and intrinsic strong absorption of carbon materials enables the HPC film to holds an absorbance of 72.74 % over the range of 2–20 μm, which could be further improved by about 1.3 times to 94.75 % after Pt and Ag particles (AgPt@HPC) were introduced onto the framework because of the additional plasmon effect and the establishment of complex electric field coupling mechanisms. Moreover, photothermal conversion efficiency of AgPt@HPC film also witnesses a great improvement by about 1.8 times compared with HPC film, and the boosted charge transfer between Ag, Pt and C was confirmed to provides a significant contribution to photothermal conversion. The proposed ultra-wide infrared sensitive film is not only designed for infrared detectors, but also has the potential to provide reference for the development of functionalized photothermal nanomaterials.

Polaritonic states trapped by topological defects

The miniaturization of photonic technologies calls for a deliberate integration of diverse materials to enable novel functionalities in chip-scale devices. Topological photonic systems are a promising platform to couple structured light with solid-state matter excitations and establish robust forms of 1D polaritonic transport. Here, we demonstrate a mechanism to efficiently trap mid-IR structured phonon-polaritons in topological defects of a metasurface integrated with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). These defects, created by stitching displaced domains of a Kekulé-patterned metasurface, sustain localized polaritonic modes that originate from coupling of electromagnetic fields with hBN lattice vibrations. These 0D higher-order topological modes, comprising phononic and photonic components with chiral polarization, are imaged in real- and Fourier-space. The results reveal a singular radiation leakage profile and selective excitation through spin-polarized edge waves at heterogeneous topological interfaces. This offers impactful opportunities to control light-matter waves in their dimensional hierarchy, paving the way for topological polariton shaping, ultrathin structured light sources, and thermal management at the nanoscale.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of high-speed precision grinding considering multi-effect coupling

The aerostatic spindle is widely used in the field of precision grinding because of its excellent machining stability and machining accuracy. The spindle is jointly affected by multiple excitation effects in the high-speed grinding process. In order to study the dynamic characteristics of the aerostatic spindle under high-speed precision machining, it is necessary to analyse the nonlinear response of the aerostatic spindle with multi-physical field coupling. In this paper, the nonlinear dynamic model of the aerostatic spindle system under multi-effect coupling is established by considering three aspects: fluid-structure coupling, mass eccentricity excitation coupling, and vibration-grinding force coupling. Firstly, the instantaneous nonlinear air film force excitation is calculated by the derivation of the dynamic air film thickness model with multi-degree-of-freedom vibration responses coupling. The mass eccentricity excitation considering dynamic deflection angle is derived through the eccentric-load relationship. Afterwards, the dynamic precision grinding force model under the full surface of the tool is established based on judging the material removal mode, which considers the grain-workpiece interaction relationship under the influence of the nonlinear vibration. Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of the coupled model is verified by high-speed precision grinding experiments, and the nonlinear dynamic behaviour under different operating parameters is analysed.

Cavity-Induced Optical Nonreciprocity Based on Degenerate Two-Level Atoms.

We developed and experimentally realized a scheme of optical nonreciprocity (ONR) by using degenerate two-level atoms embedded in an optical ring cavity. For the degenerate transition Fg = 4 ↔ Fe = 3, we first studied the cavity-transmission property in different coupling field configurations and verified that under the strong-coupling regime, the single-dark-state peak formed by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) showed ONR. The stable ground-state Zeeman coherence for Λ-chains involved in the degenerate two-level system was found to be important in the formation of intracavity EIT. However, different from the three-level atom-cavity system, in the degenerate two-level system, the ONR effect based on intracavity EIT occurred only at a low probe intensity, because the cavity-atom coupling strength was weakened in the counter-propagating probe and coupling field configuration. Furthermore, ONR transmission with a high contrast and linewidth-narrowing was experimentally demonstrated.

A stepwise multi-stage continuous dielectrophoresis separation microfluidic chip with microfilter structures

The separation of target microparticles using microfluidic systems owns extensive applications in biomedical, chemical, and materials science fields. Integration of microfluidic sorting systems employing dielectrophoresis (DEP) technology has been widely investigated. However, enhancing separation efficiency, purity, stability, and integration remains a pressing issue. This study proposes a stepwise multi-stage continuous DEP separation microfluidic chip with a microfilter structure. By leveraging a stepwise electrode configuration, a gradient electric field is generated to drive target microparticles along the electric field gradient, thereby enhancing separation efficiency. Innovative integration of a microfilter structure facilitates simultaneous filtration and improves flow field distribution, thus enhancing system stability. Through the synergistic effect of stepwise electrodes and the microfilter structure, superior coupling of electric and flow fields is achieved, consequently improving the sorting purity, separation efficiency, and system stability of the DEP-based microfluidic sorting system. Validation through simulation and separation of polystyrene microspheres demonstrates the excellent particle separation performance of the proposed system. It evidently shows potential for seamless extension to various biological microparticle sorting applications, harboring significant prospects in the biomedical domain field.

Energy storage mechanism and modeling method of underground aquifer to meet the demand of large-capacity new energy consumption

With the increasing scale of new energy, the ability to rationally utilize new energy power abandonment has become key to improving the operational efficiency of new power systems in the future. Existing new energy power abandonment consumption methods have problems such as limited consumption capacity and large-scale applications. Therefore, to consume the large-scale power abandonment of new energy and enable it to be stored for a long time, this study proposed a method in which electro-thermal conversion devices are used to convert electric energy into thermal energy, and the energy is stored in an underground aquifer. A finite element numerical analysis model was constructed to analyze and calculate this process. A multi-physical field coupling numerical analysis model, considering the seepage of groundwater and the heat transfer of the heat exchangers and porous media, was constructed by combining the distribution characteristics of power abandonment and a theoretical analysis of the heat transfer principle of an aquifer. A scaled test platform was constructed based on the similarity principle to verify the accuracy of the numerical analysis model. The results of the numerical analysis and simulated test showed that the energy storage system could store power abandonment in the form of thermal energy in the aquifer. At the same time, the annual energy loss of the system is only 14.89%, indicating that the system has long-term storage capabilities. In addition, a comparative analysis of the consumption effects of energy storage systems of different sizes showed that an aquifer energy storage system can be configured according to the capacity of power abandonment. Thus, a large-capacity new energy consumption space can be constructed to realize the complete consumption of power abandonment.

Multi-Physics Coupling in IGBT Modules: A Review

Abstract Since insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a core component for power conversion in a power electronic system, guaranteeing the safety of IGBT becomes a crucial task for the maintenance of the power system. However, the mechanism of IGBT failure is a considerably complicated process related to the dynamic process, involving electric, thermal, and force. Hence, understanding the behaviors of IGBT under multi-physics field coupling plays an important role in the design and reliability studies of IGBT. In this paper, we review the multi-physics coupling effects, namely, electric-thermal coupling, thermal-force coupling, and force-electric coupling, inside IGBT devices. The basic principles of each coupling, coupling models, application occasions as well as key issues and development trends are discussed in detail, respectively.

Numerical investigation of thermal damage in rocks under high‐voltage electric pulse

AbstractThe high‐voltage electric pulse fracturing (HVEPF) technology represents a novel and highly promising approach in rock fracturing. The investigation of thermal damage inflicted upon rocks by high‐voltage electrical pulses under multi‐physical field coupling is of great significance in the development of deep geothermal energy. This study establishes a damage model for rocks under electric fragmentation conditions by integrating electric field, heat transfer field, and solid mechanics field. Based on the developed damage model, the insulating properties, temperature variations, and forms of damage of rocks during electric fracturing are explored. Subsequently, the influence of voltage on rock damage status is investigated. The findings reveal that damage to the rock does not occur immediately after electrical breakdown; rather, it increases with the growth of current and temperature within the breakdown channel. Initial damage occurs at the ends of the breakdown channel, followed closely by damage in the central region of the channel. The predominant form of damage in rocks is tensile failure, with shear failure playing a secondary role, and the volume of damage increases with voltage. These results elucidate the characteristics of rock damage during electric fracturing, providing valuable insights for the engineering application of electric fracturing techniques.

Interaction between PCB-Cu corrosion and electrochemical migration under the Coupling of electric field and thin liquid film

An in-situ monitoring and observation experimental setup was designed in the coupled environment of a thin liquid film and an electric field. The interactive development of PCB-Cu corrosion and electromigration under different bias voltages, salt concentrations, and liquid-film thicknesses was investigated, and an interactive model was proposed. The results showed that electromigration of copper was dominant at a high voltage of 3 V, whereas corrosion occurred without salt deposition at a low voltage of 1 V. The growth rate of the dendrites decreased with increasing liquid film thickness. In the presence of 1 g/m2 of NaCl, dendrite growth was absent because corrosion precipitation occurred before dendrite formation, thereby hindering the migration of copper ions. At a higher NaCl deposition density of 10 g/m2, the electromigration of copper became dominant, resulting in the formation of many short dendrites, evenly distributed on the cathode at a low voltage of 1 V. These observations are consistent with the results of the in-situ current monitoring tests.

A numerical analysis of the mechano-electrochemical effects on localised corrosion in pipelines using a multi-physical field coupling approach

In this study, we used a multi-physics coupling approach integrating the electrochemical and solid mechanics fields to develop a three-dimensional finite element model. This model was specifically designed to investigate the effects of mechano-electrochemical (M-E) effects on pipeline corrosion. The boundary conditions for the finite element simulation were established using experimental data, enabling the model to effectively predict the corrosion potential and current density, which aligned well with the experimental findings. Subsequently, the validated model was applied to examine the M-E effects near the pipe corrosion defects, considering various depths of corrosion defects and axial strain. Our results indicate that the stress concentration at the core of the defect increases with increasing axial tensile strain and deepening corrosion. The investigation of the correlation between the corrosion potential and net current density revealed that mechanical forces significantly impact metal corrosion rates, thus influencing pipeline longevity. When the metal structure of the pipeline is deformed within the elastic deformation range, the impact of the M-E effects on corrosion is minimal. However, when a tensile strain is applied or the defect geometry induces plastic deformation at the defect site, a notable increase in the local corrosion activity is observed.

Simulation of flow and heat transfer in high‐temperature and high‐pressure reservoir based on multi‐physical field coupling model at pore scale

AbstractThe use of irregular pore‐scale models to study heavy oil reservoirs with high‐temperature, high‐pressure, and high‐stress characteristics is effective. Previous studies have typically focused on regular models and conventional environmental reservoirs, with limited exploration of irregular models and reservoirs in extreme environments. In investigating the process of water displacing heavy oil within reservoirs under high‐temperature, high‐pressure, and high‐stress conditions at the pore scale, the utilization of the four‐parameter method creates a micro‐scale irregular porous media model. The model systematically considers the variation of physical properties of rocks and heavy oil with temperature. The results indicate that an appropriate increase in water injection rate or a decrease in reservoir contact angle will increase the recovery rate, temperature, and stress of the reservoir. At a displacement time of 0.3 s, with the water injection rate increasing from 0.004 to 0.01 m ∙ s−1, the reservoir's recovery degree experiences an increase of 0.091. Simultaneously, the average temperature and average stress of the reservoir increase by 29.66 K and 1.9464 × 109 N · m−2, respectively. At a displacement time of 0.3 s and with the contact angle decreasing from 2π/3 to π/3, the reservoir's recovery degree increases by 0.44537, and the average temperature and average stress of the reservoir increase by 2.87 K and 1.86 × 108 N · m−2, respectively.

Numerical simulation of geothermal reservoir thermal recovery of heterogeneous discrete fracture network-rock matrix system

In contrast to previous methodologies utilizing smooth fractures for predicting production in fractured geothermal reservoirs, this study introduces a novel approach employing a non-uniform rough discrete fracture network model characterized by heterogeneous apertures. Partial differential equations governing dual porosity flow and heat transfer are formulated, followed by a multi-physical field coupling simulation for the reservoir-scale formation model. The investigation focuses on the 50-year production performance of an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) under various parameters. Findings indicate a 15 % increase in production temperature with a 10-degree rise in injection temperature and a 10 % increase when well spacing is halved. Conversely, doubling the injection velocity or increasing the fracture aperture from 2 mm to 5 mm results in a 20 % and 25 % decrease in production temperature, respectively. These results highlight the negative impacts of faster fluid movement and larger fracture apertures on thermal retention. Conventional smooth fracture networks tend to underestimate both production temperature and the operational lifespan of EGS. An effective flow rate is defined, and an empirical prediction model for thermal recovery is established. This study provides valuable insights into the interplay of parameters affecting EGS production performance, serving as a pertinent reference for analyzing the influence of heterogeneous apertures on geothermal reservoirs.

Multi-physical field coupling modeling of microwave heating and reduction behavior of zinc oxide

Microwave heating provides a cleaner pyrometallurgical method for separating zinc from electric arc furnace dust (EAFD, a solid waste generated during steel production with excellent dielectric properties). Despite its undisputed heating efficiency, the impact of microwave heating characteristics on the zinc removal process from EAFD remains unclear. This paper focuses on ZnO, one of the primary components of EAFD, and develops an electromagnetic-thermal-chemical reaction model to analyze the effects of microwave power and graphite addition on heating behavior, reduction reactions, field distributions, and reaction kinetics. The results indicate that the heat generated from the interaction between microwaves and materials exhibits inherent non-uniformity, leading to the localized thermal effect and making the error of general temperature measurement methods. Increasing microwave power and adding graphite enhance heating efficiency and promote the reduction reaction but also result in significant internal-external temperature disparity and worse temperature distribution. At 1000 W, with 1.2 times the stoichiometric amount of graphite addition, the temperature measurement error reaches approximately 200 °C, potentially affecting the kinetic results to a certain degree. The non-isothermal kinetics results from simulations indicate that the localized thermal region exhibits a lower average activation energy of 47.5 kJ/mol compared to experimental results, suggesting that the lower activation energy of the ZnO reduction reaction during microwave heating is primarily caused by the localized thermal effect rather than the non-thermal effect. Additionally, in the energy distribution, the higher proportion of return loss during heating underscores the importance of a well-designed microwave heating system.

Algorithm for solving a pump-probe model for an arbitrary number of energy levels.

We describe a generalized algorithm for evaluating the steady-state solution of the density matrix equation of motion, for the pump-probe scheme, when two fields oscillating at different frequencies couple the same set of atomic transitions involving an arbitrary number of energy levels, to an arbitrary order of the harmonics of the pump-probe frequency difference. We developed a numerical approach and a symbolic approach for this algorithm. We have verified that both approaches yield the same result for all cases studied, but require different computation time. The results are further validated by comparing them with the analytical solution of a two-level system to first order. We have also used both models to produce results up to the third order in the pump-probe frequency difference, for two-level systems, and up to first order for three- and four-level systems. In addition, we have used this model to determine accurately, the gain profile for a self-pumped Raman laser, for a system involving 16 Zeeman sublevels in the D1 manifold of ^{87}Rb atoms. We have also used this model to determine the behavior of a single-pumped superluminal laser. In many situations involving the applications of multiple laser fields to atoms with many energy levels, one often makes the approximation that each field couples only one transition, because of the difficulty encountered in accounting for the effect of another field coupling the same transition but with a large detuning. The use of the algorithm presented here would eliminate the need for making such approximations, thus improving the accuracy of numerical calculations for such schemes.

Critical current in a two-dimensional non-magnetically insulated crossed-field gap with monoenergetic emission

Prior studies have developed theories for the maximum permissible current, or critical current, for one-dimensional planar and cylindrical crossed-field diodes where the magnetic field is below the Hull cutoff, meaning that an electron emitted from the cathode reaches the anode. Here, we develop semi-empirical and analytical models to predict the critical current for a two-dimensional (2D) planar diode with nonzero monoenergetic initial velocity. The semi-empirical method considers the geometry, nonzero initial velocity, and magnetic field as multiplicative corrections to the Child–Langmuir law for space-charge limited current in a one-dimensional planar diode with an initial velocity of zero. These results agree well with 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations using the over-injection method to assess virtual cathode formation for different emission widths, magnetic field strengths, and initial velocities. The analytical solution agrees better with PIC results because it accounts for the coupling of the magnetic field, geometry, and initial velocity that the semi-empirical approach does not.

The flame macrostructure and thermoacoustic instability in a centrally staged burner operating in different pilot stage equivalence ratios

The main focus of this paper is to discover the link between flame macrostructure and thermoacoustic instability in a centrally staged swirl burner. In practical combustors, the flow rate in the pilot stage is much smaller than that in the main stage. However, the modification in the pilot stage could alter the flame macrostructure while maintaining a similar total flow rate. Therefore, the thermoacoustic instability was examined at different flame macrostructures by varying the pilot stage equivalence ratio under identical main stage inlet conditions. High-frequency planar laser measurements and chemiluminescence measurement were conducted to enhance spatial and temporal accuracy, providing a more comprehensive understanding of thermoacoustic instability. Two different flame macrostructures, S-type and I-type flames, were identified based on the preheating zone distribution. They exhibit distinct thermoacoustic instabilities, with the I-type flames demonstrating more intense instability than S-type flames. The results indicate that the variation of flame macrostructure influences the coupling of flame heat release and flow field. Specifically, the preheating zone and heat release of I-type flames exhibit greater sensitivity to flow field fluctuations, resulting in a more intense and complex fluctuation of the flame. This discrepancy leads to variations in thermoacoustic instability intensity, as well as the changes in the phase coupling between heat release and acoustic pressure, which in turn impact the total Rayleigh index. Meanwhile, significant differences exist in the distribution pattern and range of flow field fluctuations between I-type and S-type flames.