Grating Technique Research Articles

Investigation of the Effect of the Passivation on the Charge Transfer from MAPbI3 to Electron Transport Layer Using a Heterodyne Transient Grating Spectroscopic Technique.

We fabricated MAPbI3 perovskite thin films with ZnO on a glass substrate, in which a passivation layer (Phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI); p-methoxyphenethylammonium iodide (CH3O-PEAI); 2-methoxyethylammonium iodide (MEAI)) was inserted between two layers. In order to understand the effect of the insertion of each passivation material on the transfer efficiency of the photo-generated electrons from MAPbI3 to ZnO, we observed the near-field heterodyne transient grating (NF-HD-TG) responses of each film and investigated the component arising from the recombination of the trapped electrons at the ZnO surface. Based on the accelerated recombination between photo-generated holes remaining in the MAPbI3 layer and surface-trapped electrons in ZnO and the increase in the number of the trapped electrons in ZnO when either CH3O-PEAI or PEAI was applied, we successfully revealed that the charge transfer efficiency was enhanced by the insertion of the passivation materials including a benzene ring stabilizing the defect states. Particularly, it was demonstrated that CH3O-PEAI showed the highest increase in the charge transfer efficiency, which could be attributed to the high electron density in the benzene ring, resulting from the existence of the electron donating group, CH3O, and its role in the effective transition from 3D to 2D perovskite phases.

Temperature dependence of the diffusion, thermodiffusion and Soret coefficient of a dilute polystyrene/toluene solution as measured by means of a transient holographic grating technique

We have measured diffusion, thermodiffusion and Soret coefficients of a dilute solution of polystyrene in toluene by means of the transient holographic grating technique of thermal diffusion forced Rayleigh scattering over a temperature range from 10 to 50 °C. The results show a systematic deviation from optical beam deflection measurements over a narrower temperature interval of the order of ten percent but the identical temperature dependence. A comparison with previous measurements from our laboratory, new control measurements and literature data does not lead to a clear conclusion about the correct values. From the diffusion coefficient a temperature independent hydrodynamic radius is obtained. Both the Soret coefficient and the viscosity-scaled thermodiffusion coefficient ηDT, for which a universal value has been reported in the case of asymmetric systems with large solute entities, decrease with temperature.

Investigation of the charge injection from Organometal halide perovskite to a hole transport layer using a heterodyne transient grating spectroscopic technique

The responses of MAPbI3 coated by ZnO with and without CuSCN were observed using near-field heterodyne transient grating spectroscopic technique for the investigation of the effect of the insertion of CuSCN, the hole transport layer, on the hole transfer efficiency in the perovskite-based solar cell. We revealed that the recombination arising from the surface trapped electrons in ZnO, the electron transport layer, was retarded when CuSCN was inserted in the film, which could be attributed to the spatially separated charge carriers more sufficiently, caused by the increase in the distance between the electron transport layer and the conducting substrate.

Simultaneous Measurement of Local Pulse Wave Velocities in Radial Arteries Using a Soft Sensor Based on the Fiber Bragg Grating Technique.

Arterial stiffness has been proved to be an important parameter in the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases, and Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is a strong indicator of arterial stiffness. Compared to regional PWV (PWV among different arteries), local PWV (PWV within a single artery) outstands in providing higher precision in indicating arterial properties, as regional PWVs are highly affected by multiple parameters, e.g., variations in blood vessel lengths due to individual differences, and multiple reflection effects on the pulse waveform. However, local PWV is less-developed due to its high dependency on the temporal resolution in synchronized signals with usually low signal-to-noise ratios. This paper presents a method for the noninvasive simultaneous measurement of two local PWVs in both left and right radial arteries based on the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technique via correlation analysis of the pulse pairs at the fossa cubitalis and at the wrist. Based on the measurements of five male volunteers at the ages of 19 to 21 years old, the average left radial PWV ranged from 9.44 m/s to 12.35 m/s and the average right radial PWV ranged from 11.50 m/s to 14.83 m/s. What is worth mentioning is that a stable difference between the left and right radial PWVs was observed for each volunteer, ranging from 2.27 m/s to 3.04 m/s. This method enables the dynamic analysis of local PWVs and analysis of their features among different arteries, which will benefit the diagnosis of early-stage arterial stiffening and may bring more insights into the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Uncovering Energetic Positions of Surface Trap States in α-Fe2O3 Treated with Cobalt Phosphate (Co-Pi) Using Charge Carrier-Selective Heterodyne Transient Grating Technique.

Near-field heterodyne transient grating (NF-HD-TG) responses of hematite (α-Fe2O3) treated with cobalt phosphate (Co-Pi) were measured with the burn lasers inducing the depletion of the response by the removal of the trapped charge carriers in the target state, which is called charge carrier-selective heterodyne transient grating (CS-HD-TG) spectroscopic technique. We found that two distinct trap states co-existed in Co-Pi loaded on the surface of α-Fe2O3. One of them named r-SS2, of which potential was similar to that of r-SS1 in the surface of α-Fe2O3, acted as a recombination centre but could increase the lifetime of the trapped holes by the charge separation. We also revealed that the energetic position of the other (i-SS2), which has been regarded as the intermediate state for oxygen evolution reaction with low overpotential, was higher than that of i-SS1 in α-Fe2O3 but lower than those of r-SS1 and r-SS2.

Ultrafast electron diffuse scattering as a tool for studying phonon transport: Phonon hydrodynamics and second sound oscillations.

Hydrodynamic phonon transport phenomena, like second sound, have been observed in liquid helium more than 50 years ago. More recently second sound has been observed in graphite at over 200 K using transient thermal grating (TG) techniques. In this work, we explore signatures of phonon hydrodynamic transport and second sound oscillations in ultrafast electron diffuse scattering patterns, which can provide time, momentum, and branch resolved information on the state-of-excitation of the phonon system beyond that available through TG experiments. We use the density functional theory and solve the Boltzmann transport equation to determine time-resolved non-equilibrium phonon populations and model phonon transport in graphite. This model also provides the information necessary to calculate the time evolution of one-phonon structure factors and diffuse scattering patterns during thermal transport covering ballistic, diffusive, and hydrodynamic regimes where the effect of a second sound oscillation on the phonon distribution is observed. Direct measurements of how the phonon distribution varies in time and space in various thermal transport regimes should yield new insights into the fundamental physics of the underlying processes.

The effect of echoes interference on phonon attenuation in a nanophononic membrane

Nanophononic materials are characterized by a periodic nanostructuration, which may lead to coherent scattering of phonons, enabling interference and resulting in modified phonon dispersions. We have used the extreme ultraviolet transient grating technique to measure phonon frequencies and lifetimes in a low-roughness nanoporous phononic membrane of SiN at wavelengths between 50 and 100 nm, comparable to the nanostructure lengthscale. Surprisingly, phonon frequencies are only slightly modified upon nanostructuration, while phonon lifetime is strongly reduced. Finite element calculations indicate that this is due to coherent phonon interference, which becomes dominant for wavelengths between ~ half and twice the inter-pores distance. Despite this, vibrational energy transport is ensured through an energy flow among the coherent modes created by reflections. This interference of phonon echos from periodic interfaces is likely another aspect of the mutual coherence effects recently highlighted in amorphous and complex crystalline materials and, in this context, could be used to tailor transport properties of nanostructured materials.

Monitoring Charge Transfer Dynamics of Surface Trapped Holes in ZnO Surface Utilized for Ethanol Oxidation Using Heterodyne Transient Grating Spectroscopic Techniques

Monitoring Charge Transfer Dynamics of Surface Trapped Holes in ZnO Surface Utilized for Ethanol Oxidation Using Heterodyne Transient Grating Spectroscopic Techniques

Probing multi-physical process and deformation mechanism of a large-scale landslide using integrated dual-source monitoring

The implementation of isolated heterologous monitoring systems for spatially distant borehole deployments often comes with substantial equipment costs, which can limit the effectiveness of geohazard mitigation and georisk management efforts. To address this, we have developed a novel monitoring system that integrates fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and microelectromechanical system (MEMS) techniques to capture soil moisture, temperature, sliding resistance, strain, surface tilt, and deep-seated inclination. This system enables real-time, simultaneous data acquisition and cross-validation analyses, offering a cost-effective solution for monitoring critical parameters in geohazard-prone areas. We successfully applied this integrated monitoring system to the Xinpu landslide, an active super-large landslide located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) of China. The resulting strain profile confirmed the presence of two shallow secondary sliding surfaces at depths of approximately 7 m and 12 m, respectively, in addition to the deep-seated sliding surface at a depth of ∼28 m. The lower secondary sliding surface was activated by extreme precipitation, while the upper one was primarily driven by significant changes in reservoir water levels and secondarily triggered by concentrated rainfalls. Anti-slide piles have remarkably reinforced the upper moving masses but failed to control the lower ones. The gap between the pile heads and the soil amplified the rainwater erosion effect, creating a preferential channel for rainwater infiltration. Multi-physical measurements revealed a mixture of seepage-driven and buoyancy-driven behaviors within the landslide. This study offers an integrated dual-source multi-physical monitoring paradigm that enables collaborative management of multiple crucial boreholes on a large-scale landslide, and contributes to the evaluation and improvement of engineering measures in similar geological settings.

Two-color four-wave mixing contribution to an electrostrictive laser-induced grating signal in CO2-N2 mixtures and gas diagnostics.

Multiparameter determination in the gas phase using the versatile laser-induced grating (LIG) technique is a challenging task due to interdependence of observables on multiple thermodynamic parameters. In C O 2-N 2 mixtures, simultaneous determination of species concentration and gas temperature can be achieved by using an additional C O 2 concentration-dependent contribution to the LIG signal, which appears if 1064 nm pump pulses are employed. This contribution can be attributed to a direct, quasi-resonant two-color four-wave mixing (TCFWM) of the pump and probe radiations in C O 2. A detailed study of the laser power and beam polarization, as well as mixture composition, pressure, and temperature dependencies of the TCFWM intensity relative to that of the LIG signal, allowed for the formulation of analytical relations enabling simultaneous mixture composition and temperature determination.

Evaluation of ambipolar diffusion coefficient in AlxGa1−xN semiconductor

Numerical approach to account for the influence of randomly fluctuating potential on carrier mobility in compound semiconductors with compositional disorder is developed and exploited for calculating the heavy hole-defined ambipolar diffusion coefficient in AlxGa1-xN layers. The rates of inelastic heavy hole-phonon scattering were obtained by integrating the quasi-classical hole-phonon scattering rates for the virtual crystal over the semiclassical confining potential obtained by using the local landscape method. The calculated dependence of the heavy-hole diffusion coefficient on the aluminum content in AlxGa1-xN crystal in a wide compositional range (x = 0 – 1) evidences a substantial influence of localization on the diffusivity of nonequilibrium carriers and is in a good quantitative correspondence with the experimental data obtained in this work by using the light-induced transient grating technique. The adopted Monte Carlo simulation technique also enables diffusivity calculations in other multicomponent compounds (e.g., high-In-content InGaN) and their structures, in particular, those for LEDs and µ-LEDs.

Sensory monitoring system of the post‐tensioned concrete bridge over the Odra River in Poland

AbstractThe paper presents the Structural Health Monitoring system installed on the posttensioned concrete road bridge over the Odra River in Poland. The bridge superstructure has a form of the 5‐span box girder with skewed supports, built using the cantilever method. During operation of the bridge (since 2010) many cracks arrived in the superstructure, mainly within the main bridge span with a length of 140 m. Therefore, as a part of a complex diagnostic process, the monitoring system were incorporated for assessment of the bridge performance and for observing further propagation of damage. The implemented monitoring system utilizes Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technique for measuring of strains, changes of cracks width and angular displacements of concrete box girder for various operating conditions of the structure including effects of regular road traffic, environmental influences and rheological phenomena. The paper presents applied testing and measuring procedures as well as results of the monitoring. Conclusions regarding effectiveness of the applied testing method in identification of the bridge condition are formulated and discussed.

Ultra-high-temperature sensing using fiber grating sensor and demodulation method based on support vector regression optimized by a genetic algorithm.

We propose an ultra-high-temperature sensing method using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and demodulation technique based on support vector regression optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA-SVR). A type-I FBG inscribed by a femtosecond laser in a silica fiber was packaged with a tube and used as a temperature sensor. The external ambient temperature was retrieved from the transient FBG wavelength and its increase rate in reaching thermal equilibrium of the FBG with the external environment using GA-SVR. The temperature sensing in the range of 400 to 1000 °C was realized with an accuracy of 4.8 °C. The highest sensing temperature exceeded the FBG resisting temperature of 700 °C. The demodulation time was decreased to approximately 15 s, only 3.14% of the FBG sensor time constant. The proposed method could realize the external ambient temperature determination before the FBG temperature reached the thermal equilibrium state, which enables to attain a demodulation time shorter than the time constant of the FBG sensor and a sensing temperature higher than the FBG resisting temperature. This method could be potentially applied in temperature inspection of combustion and other fields.

Real-Time Temperature Correction of Medical Range Fiber Bragg Gratings Dosimeters.

The interest in fiber Bragg gratings dosimeters for radiotherapy dosimetry lies in their (i) submillimeter size, (ii) multi-points dose measurements, and (iii) customizable spatial resolution. However, since the radiation measurement relies on the thermal expansion of the surrounding polymer coating, such sensors are strongly temperature dependent, which needs to be accounted for; otherwise, the errors on measurements can be higher than the measurements themselves. In this paper, we test and compare four techniques for temperature compensation: two types of dual grating techniques using different coatings, a pre-irradiation and post-irradiation temperature drift technique, which is used for calorimetry, and finally, we developed a real-time interpolated temperature gradient for the multi-points dosimetry technique. We show that, over these four tested techniques, the last one outperforms the others and allows for real-time temperature correction when an array of 13 fiber Bragg gratings spatially extending over the irradiation zone is used. For a 20 Gy irradiation, this technique reduces the measurement errors from 200% to about 10%, making it suitable for a radiotherapy dose range. Temperature correction for medical low-dose range dosimetry is a first in our field and is essential for clinical FBG dosimetry applications.

Development of charge carrier-selective heterodyne transient grating spectroscopic technique and its application in the distinction of surface trap states in hematite.

We developed a new spectroscopic technique, which is named the charge carrier-selective heterodyne transient grating (CS-HD-TG) method, for the distinction of surface trap states existing in photocatalysts and photovoltaic materials by employing a burn laser inducing depletion of the number of surface trapped charge carriers. In addition, as a case study, we measured the heterodyne transient grating responses of hematite under bias conditions with and without the burn laser and revealed that two distinct trap states co-exist at the surface of the hematite film and only one of them could act as the reaction intermediate for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is consistent with former studies.

A new strategy for monitoring the charge transfer from perovskite thin films to electron transport layers using a heterodyne transient grating technique.

We fabricated CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) thin films with and without a ZnO layer and measured the heterodyne transient grating (HD-TG) responses of each film to investigate the charge injection dynamics from MAPbI3 to ZnO, based on the component arising from the recombination of the surface trapped electrons in the ZnO layer with the remaining holes in MAPbI3. In addition, we observed the HD-TG response of the MAPbI3 thin film coated with the ZnO layer in which phenethyl ammonium iodide (PEAI) was inserted between two layers as a passivation layer and confirmed that the charge transfer was enhanced when PEAI existed, based on the increase in the amplitude of the component arising from the recombination and its acceleration.

1λ Spaced Dual Radiating Modes Based Phased Array Antenna Using Silicon RFICs With Grating Lobe Cancellation

A dual radiating modes (TM11 and TM21)-based phased array antenna with <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1\lambda $ </tex-math></inline-formula> interelement spacing at Ku-band is demonstrated using silicon beamforming RFICs, which offers grating lobe cancellation. The radiating element consists of concentric microstrip circular patch antennas supporting TM11 and TM21 modes. Excitation of both modes (TM11 and TM21), with the proper amplitude and phase values, allows for the suppression of grating lobe present in the array radiation pattern. The array utilizes Anokiwave RFICs (AWMF-0117), which provides flat panel integration of the beamforming network with the antenna aperture. A suitable beamforming network consisting of wideband Wilkinson power dividers was used to feed the RFICs from a single input. We demonstrate a grating lobe suppression ability of up to 30.8 dB with a first sidelobe level (SLL) of 15.2 dB. We also confirm the grating lobe mitigation technique through the demonstration of an over-the-air (OTA) link using digitally modulated signals and observing the error vector magnitude (EVM) of the received signal.

Mid-infrared polarization-insensitive grating coupler.

Mid-infrared (Mid-IR) (2-20 µm) silicon photonics has attracted much attention in the past few years due to its application potential in free-space optical communications, light detection and ranging, and molecular analysis. The grating coupler technology is one of the most widely employed approaches for light coupling between optical fibers and waveguides. In the mid-IR spectral region, due to the lack of reliable chalcogenide-fiber or ZBLAN-fiber polarization controllers, grating couplers usually suffer from huge insertion losses induced by the arbitrary polarization states of light coupled out of mid-IR fibers. As a result, it is significant to explore polarization-insensitive grating coupling techniques in mid-IR wavelengths. However, the study is currently still in its infancy. Here, we demonstrate an ultra-thin mid-IR polarization-insensitive grating coupler. The grating coupler has a maximum coupling efficiency of -11.5 dB at a center wavelength of ∼2200 nm with a 1-dB bandwidth of ∼148 nm. Compared with conventional subwavelength grating couplers, the polarization-dependent loss was improved from 9.6 dB to 2.1 dB. Moreover, we demonstrated a polarization-insensitive grating coupler at 2700-nm wavelength with a maximum coupling efficiency of -12.0 dB. Our results pave the way for the development of mid-IR photonic integrated circuits.

High ambipolar mobility in cubic boron arsenide.

Semiconductors with high thermal conductivity and electron-hole mobility are of great importance for electronic and photonic devices as well as for fundamental studies. Among the ultrahigh-thermal conductivity materials, cubic boron arsenide (c-BAs) is predicted to exhibit simultaneously high electron and hole mobilities of >1000 centimeters squared per volt per second. Using the optical transient grating technique, we experimentally measured thermal conductivity of 1200 watts per meter per kelvin and ambipolar mobility of 1600 centimeters squared per volt per second at the same locations on c-BAs samples at room temperature despite spatial variations. Ab initio calculations show that lowering ionized and neutral impurity concentrations is key to achieving high mobility and high thermal conductivity, respectively. The high ambipolar mobilities combined with the ultrahigh thermal conductivity make c-BAs a promising candidate for next-generation electronics.

Brillouin dynamic grating erasure technique for fast all-optical signal processing.

Brillouin dynamic grating (BDG) is an attractive storage unit for all-optical signal storage and processing. However, the processing speed of the traditional "write-read" scheme is severely limited by the inter-process interference (IPI) due to the residual BDG. Here, we propose an all-optical "write-read-erase" scheme to avoid the IPI effect, which can effectively eliminate the residual BDG through an erase pulse. In a numerical simulation, for multi-processes to store a 7 × 7-bits Simplex code, each time, the residual BDGs from the former process are erased for the proposed scheme, and the power fluctuation of the retrieved waveform is suppressed within ±10%. In a preliminary experiment, residual BDG erase efficiencies up to 88.5% can be achieved by introducing erase pulses to neglect the IPI effect on the retrieved waveform. Without the IPI effect, all-optical signal processing will availably be speeded up, especially for short on-chip integrated circuits.