Field Profile Research Articles

High-Performance MAPbI3-Based Perovskite Solar Cell: Design, Simulation, and Analysis of Optoelectronic Properties and Efficiency Metrics Using SILVACO TCAD

In this work, a perovskite solar cell (PSC) based on MAPbI3 has been designed, modeled, implemented, investigated and analyzed in Silvaco TCAD environment. A thin layer of MAPbI3 serves as the photoactive absorber. A thinner layer of PEDOT: PSS based organic material acts as the hole transport layer to enhance the hole transport towards the ITO electrode and a thin layer of ZnO based inorganic material serves as the electron transport layer to assist electron transport to the aluminum electrode. Simulations have been carried out to obtain the energy band diagram and the electric field profile as well as the contour and 2D plots of photon absorption rate, the recombination rate and the photogeneration rate to gain a physical insight of electronic and optical behavior of the proposed solar cell. The current-voltage (JV) characteristics and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the device are also plotted. The deduced performance metrics of the proposed PSC demonstrates a short circuit current density (JSC) of 27.247 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.978 V, a fill factor (FF) of 71.80% and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.25%, where the EQEs with and without considering the whole device absorption is more than 30% and 50% respectively over the visible and infra-red wavelength range.

Multi-Step Simulations of Ionized Metal Physical Vapor Deposition to Enhance the Plasma Formation Uniformity

Ionized metal physical vapor deposition (IMPVD), which is operated at a very low pressure to take advantage of the metal sputtering effect on the target surface, has unique properties compared with conventional DC magnetron sputtering. In this study, we investigated the effect of the rotating magnetic field on the plasma formation of IMPVD to enhance the deposition uniformity. This was accomplished through a multi-step simulation, which enabled plasma analysis, sputtered particle and chemical reaction analysis, and deposition profile analysis. A two-dimensional particle-in-cell Monte Carlo simulation utilizes the exact cross-section data of the Cu ion collisions and calculates the particle trajectories under specific magnetic field profiles. This new methodology gives guidance for the design of the magnetic field profiles of IMPVD and an understanding of the physical mechanism.

Edge mode resonance in the dark state by a finite beam

We treat edge-mode resonance that may exist at boundaries of transversely finite beams illuminating a photonic lattice. The lattice is in the dark state signifying a perfect bound state in the continuum (BIC). The dark state is non-radiative in symmetric systems because lateral waves cannot couple to the lattice due to destructive interference between counter-propagating waves. However, if the incident beam is spatially finite, the balance is broken at beam boundaries, and edge modes are induced supporting local electromagnetic fields. Numerical studies illustrate key properties including coupled-wave near fields, spectral signatures at resonance, and local field profiles for representative beam geometries. The work contributes fundamentally to the understanding of resonant metasurfaces that are of high scientific interest worldwide.

Study on Development Characteristics and Reservoir Formation Model of Lower Ordovician Reservoirs in Central Sichuan

Sichuan Basin is a large superimposed petroliferous basin, which has experienced multi-stage extension-convergence cycle and has great potential of oil and gas resources. In recent years, the lower combination oil and gas exploration in the middle Sichuan area has made great breakthroughs in the Sinian Dengying Formation and the Lower Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation, but has not achieved good results in the Ordovician. At present, a number of Wells in the middle Sichuan area show varying degrees of oil and gas in the Lower Ordovician strata, suggesting that the Ordovician strata in this area have the basic conditions for the formation of large-scale oil and gas reservoirs. However, no consensus has been reached on the paleogeographic pattern of Ordovician lithofacies and the distribution of favorable facies zones in this area, and the understanding of reservoir types and reservoir properties is quite different. Therefore, the weak basic research on the geological conditions of reservoir formation has severely restricted the hydrocarbon exploration of the Ordovician in this area. In this paper, the Lower Ordovician lithofacies paleogeography reconstruction and reservoir characteristics analysis are carried out by systematically combing the drilling and field profile data in the central Sichuan area, combined with core observation, thin section identification and reservoir analysis, and finally the Ordovician oil and gas accumulation model is established. The results show that the lithofacies paleogeography distribution of the Lower Ordovician Tongzi-Honghuayuanstage in the central Sichuan area is from the paleo-uplift to the east in the order of platform tidal flat to platform shoal to limited platform. The Lower Ordovician reservoir types in the middle Sichuan area include karst reservoir and dolomite reservoir, among which the karst reservoir is heavily filled and the reservoir performance is limited. The Ordovician reservoir-forming model in the middle Sichuan area reveals a new exploration model of dolomite superimposed bedding under karst in the epicontinental platform, which provides important geological basis for the new breakthrough of Ordovician oil and gas exploration.

The role of excitation vector fields and all-polarisation state control in cavity magnonics

Recently the field of cavity magnonics, a field focused on controlling the interaction between magnons and photons confined within microwave resonators, has drawn significant attention as it offers a platform for enabling advancements in quantum- and spin-based technologies. Here, we introduce excitation vector fields, whose polarisation and profile can be easily tuned in a two-port cavity setup, thus acting as an effective experimental dial to explore the coupled dynamics of cavity magnon-polaritons. Moreover, we develop theoretical models that accurately predict and reproduce the experimental results for any polarisation state and field profile within the cavity resonator. This versatile experimental platform offers a new avenue for controlling spin-photon interactions by manipulating the polarisation of excitation fields. By introducing real-time tunable parameters that control the polarisation state, our experiment delivers a mechanism to readily control the exchange of information between hybrid systems.

Commissioning and implementation of a pencil-beam algorithm with a Lorentz correction as a secondary dose calculation algorithm for an Elekta Unity 1.5T MR linear accelerator.

To commission a beam model in ClearCalc (Radformation Inc.) for use as a secondary dose calculation algorithm and to implement its use into an adaptive workflow for an MR-linear accelerator. A beam model was developed using commissioning data for an Elekta Unity MR-linear accelerator and entered into ClearCalc. The beam model consisted of absolute dose calculation settings, output factors, percent depth-dose (PDD) curves, mutli-leaf collimator (MLC) transmission and dose leaf gap error, and cryostat corrections. Beam profiles were hard-coded by the manufacturer into the beam model and were compared with Monaco-derived profiles. The beam model was tested by comparing point doses in a homogenous phantom obtained through measurements using an ionization chamber in water, Monaco, and ClearCalc for various field sizes, source-surface distances (SSDs), and point locations. Additional testing including point dose verification for test plans using a heterogeneous phantom and patient plans. Post clinical implementation, performance of ClearCalc was evaluated for the first 41 patients treated, which included 215 adaptive plans. PDDs generated using ClearCalc fell within 1.2% of measurements. Field profile comparison between ClearCalc and Monaco showed an average pass rate of 98% using a 3%/3mm gamma criteria. Measured cryostat corrections used in the beam model showed a maximum deviation from unity of 1.4%. Point dose and field monitor units (MUs) comparisons in a homogenous phantom (N=22), heterogeneous phantoms (N=22), and patient plans (N=57) all passed with a threshold of 5%/5MU. Clinically, ClearCalc was implemented as a physics check post adaptive planning completed prior to beam delivery. Point dose and field MUs showed good agreement at a 5%/5MU threshold for prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), pelvic lymph nodes, rectum, and prostate and lymph node plans. This work demonstrated commissioning and clinical implementation of ClearCalc into an adaptive planning workflow. No primary or adaptive plan failures were reported with proper beam model testing.

Behavior of TE and TM propagation modes in nanomaterial graphene using asymmetric slab waveguide

Abstract In this article, the conduction of transverse electric/transverse magnetic (TE/TM) propagation modes in nanomaterial graphene utilization of asymmetric dielectric slab waveguide was studied in terms of their applicability in optical fiber communication. Nano-graphene film was deposited on silica substrate and air cladding. Three layers were exposed to electromagnetic waves with a 1.55 µm wavelength and 1 µm thick nanographene film, silica, and air covering to study the performance and optical properties of graphene nanomaterials. The models were influenced by factors such as attenuation wavenumbers, cut-off frequency, mode number, propagation wavenumbers, skin depth, and angles of total internal reflection. The impact of these parameters was assessed through numerical analysis, revealing significant correlations. The modes generated ten numbers of TE and nine numbers of TM mode dependent upon the structure of nanographene, with low loss propagation wavenumber. As the TE/TM modes increase, the decay wavenumbers of the cladding and substrate parameters diminish. This indicates that the magnetic and electric fields undergo extremely rapid decay beyond the film region, which leads to the skin depth for higher TE/TM modes traveling longer distances in the cladding and substrate than do lower-order modes. Therefore, nanographene exhibits good optical properties due to its low absorption loss. The angles of internal reflection are greater in magnitude than the substrate and cladding key angles. Still, in the tenth TE mode, the internal reflection angles are extremely close to the critical angle as a result of the small substrate decay parameter and the near operating frequency. The tenth TE mode is weakly characterized. The characteristics of TE/TM modes in an asymmetric three-layer slab waveguide structure are realized for various mode orders and various parameters of nanographene material. The field profiles of the TE/TM modes are submitted to comprehend these characteristics.

Abrupt X-to-O-wave structural field transition in presence of anomalous dispersion

All linear, propagation-invariant, paraxial pulsed beams are spatiotemporally X-shaped (conical waves) in the absence of group-velocity dispersion (GVD) or in the presence of normal GVD. It is known, however, that such conical waves become O-shaped in the presence of anomalous GVD, resulting in a field profile that is circularly symmetric in space and time. To date, experiments generating conical waves in which the wavelength of a high-energy pump laser is tuned across the zero-dispersion wavelength of a nonlinear medium have not revealed the expected X-to-O-wave structural field transition. We report here an unambiguous observation of a fixed-central-wavelength X-to-O-wave structural field transition occurring in linear dispersion-free wave packets in the anomalous GVD regime, without needing to change the sign or magnitude of the GVD. Instead, by tuning the group velocity of a space–time wave packet (STWP) across a threshold value that we call the “escape velocity,” we observe an abrupt transition in the STWP from an O-shaped to an X-shaped spatiotemporal profile. This transition is associated with an abrupt change in the associated spatiotemporal spectrum of the STWP: from closed elliptical spatiotemporal spectra below the escape velocity to open hyperbolic spectra above it. These results may furnish new opportunities for engineering the phase-matching conditions in nonlinear and quantum optics.

Proton hyperfine couplings and Overhauser DNP.

We have prepared trityl radicals with protons at the positions of the -COOH group in the phenyl rings and examined their EPR spectra, which show large - hyperfine couplings, and their dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) Zeeman field profiles . By assessing these polarizing agents for high-field and Overhauser effect DNP, we gain insight into the roles that these hyperfine couplings and other molecular properties play in the DNP performance of these radicals. Interestingly, we do not observe OE DNP in any of the three molecules we examined. This suggests that hyperfine couplings by themselves are not sufficient to support OE DNP. In this case the electron spin density is ∼75 % localized on the central carbon atom rather than being distributed uniformly over the aromatic rings. This is in contrast to BDPA where the distribution is delocalized. Our findings do not suggest that any of these radicals are particularly well-suited to high-field DNP. Furthermore, we emphasize that polarizing agents can be extremely sensitive to their solvent environment, even obscuring the intrinsic magnetic properties of the radical.

Machine-learning-assisted dual harmonic generation FROG for enhanced ultrafast pulse recovery

Abstract Ultrafast pulse characterisation is crucial for studying processes that occur at femtosecond timescales and below. Because of this, various methods have been developed to recover a pulse’s electric field profile at these durations, with the frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) technique being the most common. However, this approach is computationally expensive and suffers from limitations in terms of robustness and reliability. In this regard, recent publications have demonstrated that applying machine learning towards ultrafast pulse recovery can alleviate these issues, providing more accurate retrievals. Inspired by these works, we propose an encoder–decoder scheme for a FROG system which exploits dual harmonic generation in low-index thin films. Specifically, we demonstrate enhanced reliability and accuracy of ultrafast pulse recovery when compared to machine learning approaches using second or third harmonic signals independently. As the amount of information used to train each neural network is kept constant, this study demonstrates and benchmarks the technological advantages of contextual information analysis involving multiple nonlinear processes.

Ultralow Ion Migration and X-Ray Response from Strong Dipole Moments in (Br-EA)2PbBr4 Perovskite Single Crystals.

2D hybrid perovskites composed of quantum-well structures demonstrate immense potential in optoelectronics because of their unique combination of environmental stability and optoelectrical properties. However, improving electrical properties via quantum-well engineering results in severe ion migration and inferior chemical stability. In this study, a novel strategy to avoid the above trade-off between electrical properties and stability for modifying the electric field profile in perovskites through molecular design is proposed. To this end, ethylammonium (EA) cations are substituted with 2-bromoethylamine (Br-EA) cations and fabricate pure 2D perovskite (Br-EA)2PbBr4 single crystals. The molecular dipole moments of the Br-EA cations and induced electric field impart several novel features to the X-ray response, including a ferro-response current, reverse current, and super-high Voc of 95V. The resulting X-ray detectors achieve a sensitivity of 540.7 µC Gyair -1 cm-2 with an extra 38.1% gained from local dipoles, an impressive limit of detection of 9.8 nGyair s-1, and an ultralow dark current drift of 3.69 × 10-8 nA cm-1 s-1 V-1 at -100V. This study presents valuable insights into the novel effects of dipole moments of A-site cations on the properties of perovskite materials and inspires further exploration of their potential applications.

The Shape of the Chameleon Fifth-Force on the Mass Components of Galaxy Clusters

In the context of chameleon gravity, we present a semi-analytical solution of the chameleon field profile in an accurately modelled galaxy cluster’s mass components, namely the stellar mass of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG), the baryonic mass in galaxies other than the BCG, the mass of the Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM) and the diffuse cold dark matter (CDM). The obtained semi-analytic profile is validated against the numerical solution of the chameleon field equation and implemented in the MG-MAMPOSSt code for kinematic analyses of galaxy clusters in modified gravity scenarios. By means of mock halos, simulated both in GR and in modified gravity, we show that the combination of the velocities and positions of cluster member galaxies, along with the data of the stellar velocity dispersion profile of the BCG, can impose constraints on the parameter space of the chameleon model; for a cluster generated in GR, these constraints are at the same level as a joint lensing+kinematics analysis of a cluster modelled with a single mass profile, without the BCG data.

Interferometric Near-field Fano Spectroscopy of Single Halide Perovskite Nanoparticles.

Semiconducting halide perovskite nanoparticles support Mie-type resonances that confine light on the nanoscale in localized modes with well-defined spatial field profiles yet unknown near-field dynamics. We introduce an interferometric scattering-type near-field microscopy technique to probe the local electric field dynamics at the surface of a single MAPbI3 nanoparticle. The amplitude and phase of the coherent light scattering from such modes are probed in a broad spectral range and with high spatial resolution. In the spectral domain, we uncover a Fano resonance with a 2π phase jump. In the near-field dynamics, this Fano resonance gives rise to a destructive interference dip after a few femtoseconds. Mie theory suggests that the interference between electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole modes of the particle, with spectra affected by resonant interband absorption of MAPbI3, lies at the origin of this effect. Our results open up a new approach for probing local near-field dynamics of single nanoparticles.

Room temperature lasing from InGaAs quantum well nanowires on silicon-on-insulator substrates

In this work we demonstrate room temperature lasing from core-shell nanowires consisting of a radial InGaAs quantum well as the active material. The nanowires with the GaAs/InGaAs/InGaP quantum well structures are arranged in a deformed honeycomb lattice, forming a photonic crystal surface emitting laser (PCSEL). We demonstrate lasing from devices with three different nanowire diameters from undeformed, stretched, and compressed honeycomb lattices. Under optical pumping we show that the PCSEL lases at the wavelength of 966 nm (stretched pattern), with the lasing threshold of 103 μJ/cm2. The lasing wavelength increases as the nanowire diameter increases. Combining photoluminescence results and numerical simulations on the field profile and the quality factors of the devices, we establish that the lasing of the device is from the radial quantum well structure.

Turbulence Structure and Mixing in Strongly Stable Couette Flows over Thermally Heterogeneous Surfaces: Effect of Heterogeneity Orientation

AbstractDirect numerical simulations (DNS) of plane Couette flows over thermally heterogeneous surfaces at bulk Reynolds number $$Re=10^4$$ R e = 10 4 and bulk Richardson number $$Ri=0.25$$ R i = 0.25 are performed. The focus of the present study (that extends previous work by the authors) is the effect of surface heterogeneity orientation on boundary-layer structure. The temperature of the upper and lower walls is either homogeneous or varies sinusoidally, where the temperature-wave crests are either normal or parallel to the mean flow (HETx and HETy cases, respectively). Importantly, the horizontal-mean surface temperature is the same in all simulations. The stratification is strong enough to quench turbulence over a homogeneous surface, but turbulence survives over heterogeneous surfaces. In all heterogeneous cases, both molecular diffusion and turbulence transfer momentum down the gradient of mean velocity. The total (turbulent plus diffusive) heat flux is down-gradient, but quasi-organized eddy motions generated by the surface thermal heterogeneity induce heat transfer up the gradient of the mean temperature. Comparative analysis of HETx and HETy cases shows that the configuration with the spanwise heterogeneity is more turbulent and more efficient in transporting momentum and heat vertically than its counterpart with the streamwise heterogeneity. Vertical profiles of mean fields and turbulence moments differ considerably between the HETx and HETy cases, e.g., the streamwise heat flux differs not only in magnitude but also in sign. A close examination of the second-order turbulence moments, vertical-velocity and temperature skewness, and the flow eddy structure helps explain the observed differences between the HETx and HETy cases. The implications of our DNS findings for modelling turbulence in stably-stratified environmental and industrial flows with surface heterogeneity are discussed.

Self‐Organization of Relaxed Structures in the Lunar Atmosphere

ABSTRACTThe study investigates the relaxation of a three‐component dusty plasma in the lunar atmosphere. By employing Ampère's law with momentum balance equation of the plasma species, which includes an electron, a positive ion, and a negatively charged dust particle, a Triple Beltrami (TB) state is obtained. This TB state is characterized by three scale parameters, which may be real or complex. The Cartesian coordinate geometry is employed to analyze the magnetic field profiles. The Beltrami parameters, mass of negative charged dust particulates and density variations at different height and angle have a significant impact on the magnetic properties of the self‐organized structures in lunar atmosphere. The study reveals that all scale parameters associated with diamagnetic structures are real and complex, while all scale parameters for paramagnetic structures are real. It has been shown that the magnetic field, along with its complex conjugate and real part, increases with height and angle, and only diamagnetic structures are formed in the lunar atmosphere. The findings of this study should help to explain relaxed structures found in other astronomical objects and in lab settings including negatively charged dust particles, ions, and electrons.

A Computational Study of the siRNA-Silica Nanoparticle Binding Process.

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the structural and energetic features related to the direct binding of a short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule on a silica nanoparticle functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) groups, immersed in a sodium chloride aqueous solution at physiological concentration. Three different grafting densities of APTES were evaluated, namely, 2.7, 1.3, and 0.65 nm-2. Structural features as a function of the grafting density were analyzed and characterized in terms of density field profiles, pair correlation functions, and hydrogen bonding. The analysis of the orientation of siRNA during the binding process suggested that the oligonucleotide anchors to the surface by one of their ends in a tilted arrangement and subsequently, it rotates toward a surface-parallel stabilized configuration. Free energy of binding between siRNA and the silica nanoparticle was computed using the adaptive biasing force scheme. The results indicate that the binding process is essentially barrierless and consistent with a thermodynamically spontaneous reaction, yielding the largest binding free energy, of about ∼-36 kcal/mol at the largest APTES grafting density. However, a favorable binding was also observed at the lowest APTES density (∼-16 kcal/mol). a fact that would be advantageous to facilitate the further release of siRNA within the cell.

Characterization of Small Flux Ropes Using Juno Spacecraft Cruise-phase Data

In this study, we utilize magnetic field data from the Juno mission’s cruise phase to visually identify and analyze 338 interplanetary small flux ropes (SFRs) across a heliocentric distance range of 1–5.5 au. The events are uniformly distributed across heliocentric distances, showing no clear trend. Through superposed epoch analysis, we find that the average SFR magnetic field profiles are symmetric and show little variation across the observed heliocentric distances. Additionally, we observe a slight increasing trend in the mean duration of SFRs, indicating minimal expansion during propagation. Furthermore, we determine that the SFR mean magnetic field dependence on distance is best fit by two separate power laws, exhibiting a steeper decay from 1 to ∼2.1 au and a shallower decay from ∼2.1 to 5.5 au. Near 1 au, the statistical decay rate of the mean magnetic field magnitude of SFRs is slightly higher than that of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), suggesting that SFRs may become indistinguishable from the IMF over time. This finding implies that SFRs detected at greater radial distances are possibly generated in situ as opposed to near the Sun. However, only ∼26% of the total population of SFRs in our catalog occurs within 1 day from the heliospheric current sheet (HCS), indicating a very limited association between the occurrence of the majority of SFRs and the presence of the HCS. These results raise questions about the origin of SFRs detected at larger distances, encouraging further exploration for alternatives to the conventional generation mechanisms.

Metallogenic model of sandstone-hosted copper deposits: a case study from the Paleogene in Jiashi area, northwestern China

Sandstone-hosted copper deposits, a type of Sediment-Hosted Stratiform Copper (SSC) deposits, are widely distributed globally. While economically viable deposits of SSC are relatively scarce, they account for approximately 30 % of the world's total discovered copper resources. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and in-depth research into the depositional and metallogenic models of these deposits. The Jiashi area of the Tarim Basin in northwestern China, known for its economically significant Paleogene SSC deposit, lacks in-depth studies on metallogenic processes. To address this, field profile observations were conducted to analyze the sedimentary evolution, sequence stratigraphy, and tectonism of the Paleogene strata in the Jiashi area. Combined with elemental geochemical analysis of samples, the provenance of sediment, and the source of metallogenic materials, a robust metallogenic model was established. The results reveal the influence of provenance for the origin of Paleogene copper-rich strata. Sedimentary evolution played a crucial role in controlling the distribution of copper and sulfur elements, as well as the spatial arrangement of metallogenic beds. Additionally, nappe movement potentially generated faults, allowing upward movement of basin fluids, which played a crucial role in the formation of copper deposits within sandstone-hosted systems. Thus, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of the metallogenic processes involved in sandstone-hosted copper deposits, thereby contributing significant insights to the broader research on SSC deposits worldwide.

CFD Modeling of Film Condensation from a Steam-Air Mixture in Vertical Channels

Steam condensation in the presence of a noncondensable gas is of vital importance for passive cooling containment systems. The noncondensable gas causes a significant reduction in the condensation rate and heat transfer across the containment, which is important for postulated loss-of-coolant accidents in a nuclear reactor. In this work, computational fluid dynamics models of condensation and the adjacent single-phase steam-air mixture flow are developed for laminar and turbulent flow in vertical channels by two distinct wall condensation modeling approaches using the commercial code STAR-CCM+. The first is the fluid film model available in STAR-CCM+, which solves liquid layer governing equations with connections to the adjacent gas mixture flow. The second is a user-defined wall condensation model that neglects the fluid film and instead accounts for mass, momentum, and heat transfer via user-defined volumetric sink terms adjacent to the cold wall. The condensation models are assessed by first comparing the calculated results with the numerical solution of laminar flow, solved using a complete two-phase model that solves parabolic equations based on conservation of mass, momentum, energy, and species for each phase. Next, the results of a two-dimensional analysis are compared with COPAIN experiments and existing numerical solutions from three-dimensional analyses. The comparisons include new, detailed results that have not been reported in previous analyses of a COPAIN case. These new results include local field profiles of velocity, temperature, and air mass fraction, and local mass flux.