Field Generation Research Articles

Twist-angle dependent pseudo-magnetic fields in monolayer CrCl2/graphene heterostructures.

The generation of pseudo-magnetic fields in strained graphene leads to quantized Landau levels in the absence of an external magnetic field, providing the potential to achieve a zero-magnetic-field analogue of the quantum Hall effect. Here, we report the realization of a pseudo-magnetic field in epitaxial graphene by building a monolayer CrCl2/graphene heterointerface. The CrCl2 crystal structure exhibits spontaneous breaking of three-fold rotational symmetry, yielding an anisotropic displacement field at the interface. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we have discovered a sequence of pseudo-Landau levels associated with massless Dirac fermions. A control experiment performed on the CrCl2/NbSe2 interface confirms the origin as the pseudo-magnetic field in the graphene layer that strongly interacts with CrCl2. More interestingly, the strength of the pseudo-magnetic fields can be tuned by the twist angle between the monolayer CrCl2 and graphene, with a variation of up to threefold, depending on the twist angle of 0° to 30°. This work presents a rare 2D heterojunction for exploring PMF-related physics, such as the valley Hall effect, with the advantage of easy and flexible implementation.

Highly dispersed ultrafine Ru nanoparticles on a honeycomb-like N-doped carbon matrix with modified rectifying contact for enhanced electrochemical hydrogen evolution.

The manipulation of rectifying contact between metal and semiconductor represents a powerful strategy to modify the electronic configuration of active sites for improved electrocatalytic performance. Herein, we present an NaCl template-assisted approach to rationally construct a Schottky electrocatalyst consisting of a honeycomb-like N-doped carbon matrix decorated with uniformly ultrasmall Ru nanoparticles with an average diameter of 2.5 nm (hereafter abbreviated as Ru NPs@HNC). It is found that the Fermi level difference between Ru and HNC can cause self-driven migration of electrons from Ru NPs to the HNC substrate, which leads to the generation of a built-in electric field and directional flow of electrons, thereby enhancing the intrinsic activity. In addition, the immobilization of ultrafine Ru NPs on the honeycomb-like carbon skeleton can effectively inhibit the undesired migration, agglomeration and detachment of the active sites, thus ensuring remarkable structural stability. As a result, the Ru NPs@HNC with optimal rectifying contact delivers superior electrochemical activity with a small overpotential of 28 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and outstanding long-term stability in an alkaline solution. The design philosophy of grain-size modulation and Schottky contact may widen up insight into the preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts in sustainable energy conversion systems.

Analysis of the Influence of Oxygen Enrichment in the Blast on Temperature Field and NO Generation near the Burner in Reheating Furnace

Analysis of the Influence of Oxygen Enrichment in the Blast on Temperature Field and NO Generation near the Burner in Reheating Furnace

A Large-scale Magnetic Field Generation System for Pesticide-free Agriculture Based on Cascaded Inductive Coupling

A Large-scale Magnetic Field Generation System for Pesticide-free Agriculture Based on Cascaded Inductive Coupling

Tumor treating induced fields: a new treatment option for patients with glioblastoma.

Currently, a range of electromagnetic therapies, including magnetic field therapy, micro-currents therapy, and tumor treating fields, are under investigation for their potential in central nervous system tumor research. Each of these electromagnetic therapies possesses distinct effects and limitations. Our focus is on overcoming these limitations by developing a novel electric field generator. This generator operates by producing alternating induced currents within the tumor area through electromagnetic induction. Finite element analysis was employed to calculate the distribution of electric fields. Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay. Tumor volumes and weights served as indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of TTIF. The in-vivo imaging system was utilized to confirm tumor growth in the brains of mice. TTIF significantly inhibited the proliferation of U87 cells both in vitro and in vivo. TTIF significantly inhibited the proliferation of U87 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, TTIF emerges as a potential treatment option for patients with progressive or metastatic GBM.

Modeling reversals of galactic magnetic fields at large distances from centers of milky-way-like galaxies using computations on GPUs

Nowadays it is strongly believed that in a large number of spiral galaxies there are regular magnetic fields. Their existence is proved by measurements of the Faraday rotation of polarization plane of electromagnetic waves which are received on modern radio telescopes. The theoretical description of magnetic fields generation is connected with the mean field dynamo mechanism. It is based on joint action of the ?-effect and differential rotation. At the first stage of evolution, magnetic fields enlarge exponentially with the growth rate described by the largest eigenvalue of the corresponding differential operator. If the field becomes comparable with the equipartition value, the nonlinear terms become more important, and they are connected with saturation of the field growth. The non-linear system of equations has several stationary points, and some of them are stable. According to the contrast structures theory for a quite small turbulent viscosity and some initial conditions, in different regions there will be magnetic fields of opposite directions, and they will be divided by narrow transition layers. Such features, for example, characterize the magnetic field of the Milky Way. Most of the existing works describe reversals for quite moderate distances from the galaxy center. However, it was shown previously that the magnetic field can principally be generated also in outer parts of galaxies, which are situated at distances of more than 10 kpc from the rotation axis. It is interesting to describe the appearance of reversals in such parts of galaxies. In this work we have studied the dynamo action in outer parts of the Milky-Way-like galaxies. It is shown that it is possible to generate opposite magnetic fields there. We have used random initial conditions to obtain spatial reversals. Because of a large volume of computations, they were carried out by using graphics processing units (GPUs).

Analysis and Design of a Novel Permanent Magnet Uniform Magnetic Field Generator

Analysis and Design of a Novel Permanent Magnet Uniform Magnetic Field Generator

A Novel Electromagnetic Driving System for 5-DOF Manipulation in Intraocular Microsurgery.

This work presents a novel electromagnetic driving system that consists of eight optimized electromagnets arranged in an optimal configuration and employs a control framework based on an active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) and virtual boundary. The optimal system configuration enhances the system's compatibility with other ophthalmic surgical instruments, while also improving its capacity to generate magnetic force in the vertical direction. Besides, the optimal electromagnet parameters provide a superior comprehensive performance on magnetic field generation capacity and thermal power. Hence, the presented design achieves a stronger capacity for sustained work. Furthermore, the ADRC controller effectively monitors and further compensates the total disturbance as well as gravity to enhance the system's robustness. Meanwhile, the implementation of virtual boundaries substantially enhances interactive security via collision avoidance. The magnetic and thermal performance tests have been performed on the electromagnet to verify the design optimization. The proposed electromagnet can generate a superior magnetic field of 2.071 mT at a distance of 65 mm with an applied current of 1 A. Moreover, it demonstrates minimal temperature elevation from room temperature (25 °C) to 46 °C through natural heat dissipation in 3 h, thereby effectively supporting prolonged magnetic manipulation of intraocular microsurgery. Furthermore, trajectory tracking experiments with disturbances have been performed in a liquid environment similar to the practical ophthalmic surgery scenarios, to verify the robustness and security of the presented control framework. The maximum root mean square (RMS) error of performance tests in different operation modes remains 35.8 μm, providing stable support for intraocular microsurgery.

Parallel Resonant Magnetic Field Generator for Biomedical Applications.

In recent years, pulsed magnetic field (PMF) have attracted significant attention as a non-invasive electroporation method in the biomedical field. To further explore the biomedical effects generated by oscillating PMF, we designed a novel PMF generator for biomedical research. Based on resonance principles, the designed generator outputs sinusoidal oscillating PMF. To validate the feasibility and application value of the designed topology, a miniaturized platform was constructed using a selected multi-turn solenoid coil. The output performance of the generator was tested under different discharge voltage levels. The results revealed that the current multiplication factor remained consistently around 2 times, with the energy efficiency and circuit quality factor maintained at 82% and above 4.5, respectively. In addition, the generator's ability to flexibly modulate the number of pulse oscillations was demonstrated. The compatibility of the designed coil parameters and generator circuit parameters was analyzed, with tests on the effects of coil resistance and switch action time on the generator's output performance. Based on the magnetic field action platform, a simulation model of the actual scale coil was established. The spatial and temporal distribution of the magnetic field, induced electric field, and power transmission in the target area were described from multiple angles. Finally, biological experiments conducted using the constructed generator revealed the synergistic effect of sinusoidal oscillating PMF combined with drugs in tumor cell killing.

An Energy-Saving Pulsed Magnetic Field Generator Based on Modular Marx Circuit

An Energy-Saving Pulsed Magnetic Field Generator Based on Modular Marx Circuit

A Magnetic Pincher for the Dynamic Measurement of the Actin Cortex Thickness in Live Cells.

The actin cortex is an essential element of the cytoskeleton allowing cells to control and modify their shape. It is involved in cell division and migration. However, probing precisely the physical properties of the actin cortex has proved to be challenging: it is a thin and dynamic material, and its location in the cell-directly under the plasma membrane-makes it difficult to study with standard light microscopy and cell mechanics techniques. In this chapter, we present a novel protocol to probe dynamically the thickness of the cortex and its fluctuations using superparamagnetic microbeads in a uniform magnetic field. A bead ingested by the cell and another outside the cell attract each other due to dipolar forces. By tracking their position with nanometer precision, one can measure the thickness of the cortex pinched between two beads and monitor its evolution in time. We first present the set of elements necessary to realize this protocol: a magnetic field generator adapted to a specific imaging setup and the aforementioned superparamagnetic microbeads. Then we detail the different steps of a protocol that can be used on diverse cell types, adherent or not.

Hydrothermal characteristics of ferrofluid in a wavy chamber with magnetic field-dependent viscosity: Effects of moving walls

The present investigation aims to scrutinize the role of different moving walls on the hydrothermal characteristics and thermal performance of a Fe3O4-H2O ferrofluid within a wavy chamber under mixed convection. Notably, the study also takes into consideration the effects of a magnetic field and internal heat generation or absorption phenomena. To achieve this, a numerical simulation employing a compact finite difference method is conducted, focusing on key factors such as the Richardson number (0.1≤Ri≤100), Hartmann number (0≤Ha≤30), magnetic orientation (00≤γ≤900), Grashof number (Gr=104), solid concentrations (0≤ϕnp≤0.04), magnetic number (0≤δ0≤1), Prandtl number (Pr=6.8377), and internal heat generation parameter (−2≤Q≤2). All of this is undertaken while carefully managing the ferromagnetic particle volume fraction. The primary aim is to assess how different types of moving walls affect the transport behavior of the ferrofluid and to determine the impacts of the magnetic field on the hydrothermal characteristics of the ferrofluid. The outcomes of this investigation reveal that the presence of moving walls leads to a non-uniform temperature distribution within the ferrofluid, significantly affecting the overall transport behavior. The addition of ferrofluid particles to the base fluid results in noteworthy enhancements in the average Nusselt numbers, signifying improved convective heat transfer efficiency. Specifically, Case-I experienced an increase of up to 3.21%, Case-II showed an improvement of 0.93%, Case-III exhibited a rise of 1.70%, and Case-IV demonstrated the highest enhancement of 20.71%. Furthermore, the inclusion of magnetic field-dependent viscosity and the internal heat generation coefficient significantly influences the behavior of the ferrofluid. The findings from this study hold paramount importance for the design and optimization of heat transfer systems that employ ferrofluids and have the potential to contribute to the development of novel technologies with a wide range of industrial applications.

Multi-Mode Vector Light Field Generation Using Modified Off-Axis Interferometric Holography and Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulators

The increasing enhancement in the modulation accuracy of spatial light modulators has garnered significant attention towards real-time control technology for light fields based on these modulators. It has been demonstrated that this technology possesses a remarkable capability to generate vector beams with arbitrary complex amplitude distributions. Nevertheless, past studies indicate that the generation of only one vector beam at a time has been observed. The simultaneous generation of numerous vector light fields can give rise to several challenges, including compromised picture quality, limited single-mode operation, and intricate optical path configurations. In pursuit of this objective, we present a novel methodology that integrates the coding methodology of modified off-axis interferometric holography with the idea of optical superposition. This technique facilitates the concurrent generation of several vector beams. In this study, we present a demonstration of the simultaneous creation of twelve vector beams using a single spatial light modulator (SLM) as a proof of concept. Significantly, this technology has the ability to generate an unlimited quantity of vector light fields concurrently under the assumption that the resolution of the SLM does not impose any limitations. The findings indicate that the imaging quality achieved by this technology is of a high standard. Furthermore, it is possible to separately control the beam waist radius, topological charge, polarization order, and extra phase of each beam.

Machine Learning Modeling and Run-to-Run Control of an Area-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition Spatial Reactor

Semiconducting materials require stringent design specifications that make their fabrication more difficult and prone to flaws that are costly and damaging to their computing and electrical properties. Area-selective atomic layer deposition is a process that addresses concerns associated with design imperfections but requires substantial monitoring to ensure that process regulation is maintained. This work proposes a run-to-run controller with an exponentially weighted moving average method for an area-selective atomic layer deposition rotary reactor by adjusting the rotation speed of the substrate to control the growth per cycle of the wafer, which is calculated through a multiscale model with machine learning integration for pressure field generation and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to increase computational efficiency. Results indicate that the run-to-run controller was able to bring the process to the setpoint when subjected to moderate pressure and kinetic shift disturbances.

Переменный электрический ток в угольных шахтах: электромагнитная энергия и превращение её в электрический ток

The article addresses the challenge of improving the competence and basic knowledge of specialists working with alternating electric current. The purpose of this work is to explain the magnetic properties of substance, generation of magnetic field and electric current with due account for the known laws of physics and the Quantum theory. We believe that addressing these tasks needs to begin with the energy produced by the magnet. The method of inducing electric energy using magnetic field of a permanent magnet is chosen as the research subject. The historical mythological bases of interpreting the induction of electric energy are shown. Modern instruments prove that the magnetic field is the electromagnetic emissions of magnets. A hypothesis regarding the origin of magnetic properties of substance is developed based on analysis of the known magnetic properties of alpha-iron. Two features of the magnetic properties of substance have been revealed, which differ from Ampere's ideas. The first is the local volume of atoms combined by short-acting covalent bonds, forming a natural crystalline or artificially elongated structure. The second is that the frequency of electromagnetic emissions by the valence electrons of all the atoms in Hertz is approximately the same. The total radiation of energy by all the atoms in local formations generates a magnetic field. The hypothesis is confirmed by circuits and information on instruments that measure the emission of magnets in Hertz. When the energy absorbed by electrons increases, the bond between atoms is broken and magnetic emissions cease. All substances in liquid and solid aggregate state begin to radiate electromagnetic emissions to other substances under the impact of external electromagnetic emissions. This is confirmed by photographic evidence of the performed experiments. A hypothesis is proposed, which differs from the ideas about the movement of free electrons by the fact that the formation of electric current is the result of absorbing electromagnetic emissions of the magnet by valence electrons of the electrical conductor and their transfer into the electric network. The physical phenomena of energy transfer between the transformer windings in an electric circuit prove that electric current is a concentrated flow of electromagnetic emissions, which are a wave form of energy.

Optical and Mechanical Properties of Si-Based Thin Films for Photonic Applications

In this talk, we will review recent advances in the fabrication and characterization of silicon-based thin film structures for photonic applications, including rare earth doped silicon oxynitrides and luminescent silicon carbonitrides.For Si-based materials to be used in solid-state lighting (SSL) and silicon photonics schemes it is necessary to have precise control of the optical emission from these materials. This can be accomplished using rare earth dopants such as Ce, Tb, and Eu to obtain blue, green, and red emissions, respectively. After a brief review of the latest developments in the field, this talk will focus on Eu-doped films, which are attractive for silicon photonic applications due to their intense emission in the visible spectral region [1]. The films are fabricated by electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (ECR-PECVD) and doping is accomplished using a novel hybrid radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering source in the ECR-PECVD reactor chamber [2]. This approach contrasts with traditional doping methods which use metal-organic precursors to introduce rare-earth dopant species into the host matrix. We will discuss the relationship between the photoluminescence, elasticity, and hardness of Eu doped silicon oxynitride (SiON) thin films.As the efficiency of photonic devices can be influenced by the mechanical properties of the deposited films, a good understanding of their mechanical properties is required for the integration of these films in photonic devices. SiNx thin films, for example, play an important role in strain engineering of active photonic devices, such as diode lasers fabricated on GaAs or InP substrates. We will discuss results of a collaboration between McMaster and the Université de Rennes in France, aimed at quantifying the effects of structured dielectric thin films on the generation of a mechanical strain field in the semiconductor through tuning the amount of mechanical stress present in the dielectric thin film, as a function of the details of the deposition process [3].[1] Fahmida Azmi et al., “Tunable Emission from Eu:SiOxNy Thin Films Prepared by Integrated Magnetron Sputtering and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition”, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 40, 043402 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001761[2] J.W. Miller et al., “Integrated ECR-PECVD and Magnetron Sputtering System for Rare-Earth-Doped Si-Based Materials”, Surface and Coatings Technology 336, 99 (2018); doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2017.08.051[3] Brahim Ahammou et al., “Strain engineering in III-V photonic components through structuration of SiNx films”, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 40, 012202 (2022); doi: 10.1116/6.0001352

Origin of Stability and Activity Enhancements in Pt-based Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts via Defect-Mediated Dopant Adsorption.

Platinum alloys are highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic conditions. However, these alloys are susceptible to metal loss through leaching and degradation, leading to reduced catalyst stability and activity. Recently, it has been shown that doping with oxophilic elements can significantly alleviate these problems, with a prominent example being Mo-doped Pt alloys. Here, to achieve atomic scale understanding of the exceptional activity and stability of these alloys, we present a detailed density functional theory description of the dopants' structures and impact on electrocatalyst properties. Beginning with the Mo/Pt system, we demonstrate that Mo can be stabilized in the form of low-dimensional oxyhydroxide moieties on Pt defects. The resulting structures enhance stability and activity via distinct physical processes, with the Mo moieties both directly inhibiting Pt dissolution at defects and indirectly enhancing ORR activity by generation of strain fields on surrounding Pt terraces. We then generalize these analyses to other metal dopant elements, and we demonstrate that similar low-dimensional oxyhydroxide structures control the electrocatalytic properties through an intricate interplay of the structures' acid stability, intrinsic activity for the ORR, and ability to induce ORR-promoting strain fields on Pt.

Solar influences on the Earth’s atmosphere: solved and unsolved questions

Solar influences on the Earth’s atmosphere: solved and unsolved questions

Origin of Stability and Activity Enhancements in Pt‐based Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts via Defect‐Mediated Dopant Adsorption

AbstractPlatinum alloys are highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic conditions. However, these alloys are susceptible to metal loss through leaching and degradation, leading to reduced catalyst stability and activity. Recently, it has been shown that doping with oxophilic elements can significantly alleviate these problems, with a prominent example being Mo‐doped Pt alloys. Here, to achieve atomic scale understanding of the exceptional activity and stability of these alloys, we present a detailed density functional theory description of the dopants’ structures and impact on electrocatalyst properties. Beginning with the Mo/Pt system, we demonstrate that Mo can be stabilized in the form of low‐dimensional oxyhydroxide moieties on Pt defects. The resulting structures enhance stability and activity via distinct physical processes, with the Mo moieties both directly inhibiting Pt dissolution at defects and indirectly enhancing ORR activity by generation of strain fields on surrounding Pt terraces. We then generalize these analyses to other metal dopant elements, and we demonstrate that similar low‐dimensional oxyhydroxide structures control the electrocatalytic properties through an intricate interplay of the structures’ acid stability, intrinsic activity for the ORR, and ability to induce ORR‐promoting strain fields on Pt.

The influence of small bipolar magnetic regions on basic solar quantities

Understanding the evolution of the solar magnetic field is of great importance for heliosphere, dynamo, and irradiance studies, for example. While the contribution of the field in active regions (ARs) hosting sunspots to the Sun's large-scale field has been extensively modelled, we still lack a realistic model of the contribution of smaller-scale magnetic regions such as ephemeral regions which do not contain any sunspots. For this work, we studied the effect of small and large bipolar magnetic regions (BMRs) on the large-scale solar magnetic field. The evolution of the total and open magnetic flux, the polar fields, and the toroidal flux loss since 1874 has been simulated with a surface flux transport model (SFTM) and the results were compared to analytical considerations and observational data. For this purpose, we constructed semi-synthetic BMR records using the international sunspot number as a proxy. We calculated the emergence rate of all BMRs from a single power-law size distribution, whose exponent varies with solar activity. The spatial distribution of the BMRs was calculated from statistical relationships derived from various solar observations. We included BMRs with a magnetic flux as low as $2 $ Mx in our SFTM, corresponding to regions with lifetimes down to one day. We found a good agreement between the computed total magnetic flux and observations, even though we do not have a free parameter to adjust the simulated total flux to observations, as in earlier versions of the employed SFTM. The open flux, the polar fields, and the toroidal flux loss are also consistent with observations and independent reconstructions. In our model, small BMRs contribute about one-third of the total and open flux at activity maximum, while their contribution increases to roughly half at activity minimum. An even greater impact is found on the polar fields and the toroidal flux loss, for which the contribution of small BMRs is comparable to that of spot-containing ARs at all activity levels. Even so, smaller regions, not included in our simulations, do not seem to play a significant role due to their high tilt angle scatter. Our simulation results suggest that most of the statistical noise is caused by large ARs, while small BMRs have a stabilising effect on the magnetic flux evolution, especially for the polar field reversals. We conclude that small BMRs (here, with magnetic fluxes between $2 $ Mx and $3 $ Mx) may also play an important role in the evolution of the solar magnetic field at large spatial scales. Their impact is largest at low solar activity, but it is also substantial during activity maxima, although the actual relative contributions by small and large regions depend on the steepness of their emergence rate distribution. The inclusion of small BMRs in SFTM simulations will allow the secular variability in solar irradiance to be better constrained and the generation of the poloidal field in the Babcock-Leighton dynamo to be better understood.