Isotropic Glass Research Articles

Maxwell–Wagner effect and second harmonic generation in gradient structures

AbstractFor the first time, we have registered, studied, and modeled the Maxwell–Wagner effect in structures with a smooth gradient of charge carriers’ mobility. The Maxwell–Wagner charge, formed after applying a DC voltage to the gradient structure at room temperature, is distributed over the entire region of the gradient. The experiments were performed with slides of a soda‐lime glass subjected to sodium‐to‐potassium ion exchange, where the ions concentration gradient provides gradient of conductivity while dielectric permittivity stays the same. The electric field generated by the Maxwell–Wagner charge is concentrated in potassium‐enriched less conductive regions of the slide and is sufficiently high to induce the second order optical nonlinearity in the initially isotropic glass. The effect causes over 100‐fold increase in a second harmonic signal relative to the signal from the surface of a virgin glass. This phenomenon in graded‐concentration structures is perspective for characterizing interfacial charges, geometry of the gradient regions, and spatial distribution of electrical conductivity in micro‐ and optoelectronic semiconductor structures.

Topology of anisotropic glasses from persistent homology analysis

Glasses are typically isotropic, but permanent or transient anisotropy can be induced by tensile strain. We use persistent homology (PH) analysis to explore the topological effects of such anisotropy in SiO2Na2O glass ensembles with variable alkali concentration as a function of frozen-in anisotropic strain. Statistical information was extracted on ring (H1) and cavity (H2) features, whereby anisotropic stretching was found to induce strong variations in the ring topology of the –O-Si-O- backbone, but only minor changes in the overall cavity statistics or in the Na distribution (the Na distribution was found to be governed by H2 persistence). Tensile fracture led to total recovery of network topology relative to the pristine (isotropic) glass. In revealing such reactions, PH and persistence similarity analysis may help to differentiate purely entropic orientation and irreversible structural alterations leading to glass anisotropy.

Correlations of tensor field components in isotropic systems with an application to stress correlations in elastic bodies.

Correlation functions of components of second-order tensor fields in isotropic systems can be reduced to an isotropic fourth-order tensor field characterized by a few invariant correlation functions (ICFs). It is emphasized that components of this field depend in general on the coordinates of the field vector variable and thus on the orientation of the coordinate system. These angular dependencies are distinct from those of ordinary anisotropic systems. As a simple example of the procedure to obtain the ICFs we discuss correlations of time-averaged stresses in isotropic glasses where only one ICF in reciprocal space becomes a finite constant e for large sampling times and small wave vectors. It is shown that e is set by the typical size of the frozen-in stress components normal to the wave vectors, i.e., it is caused by the symmetry breaking of the stress for each independent configuration. Using the presented general mathematical formalism for isotropic tensor fields this finding explains in turn the observed long-range stress correlations in real space. Under additional but rather general assumptions e is shown to be given by a thermodynamic quantity, the equilibrium Young modulus E. We thus relate for certain isotropic amorphous bodies the existence of finite Young or shear moduli to the symmetry breaking of a stress component in reciprocal space.

Semirigid discotic dimers: flexible but not flexible enough?

Two diastereomeric dibenzo[a,c]phenazine 1,2-cyclohexyl bridged diesters were prepared and their phase properties examined. While the trans dimer exhibited a broad columnar liquid crystal phase, the cis dimer was amorphous at all temperatures studied. This difference was attributed to the conformational dynamics of the two systems. NMR and DFT studies indicate that both dimers adopt folded and unfolded conformers in solution. While their folded geometries were similar, the trans dimer adopts an extended, largely planar structure, whereas the cis dimer is limited to non-planar unfolded structures and likely disrupts columnar ordering. Geometric constraints imposed by the cylcic linker were also important for columnar stability, with the trans dimer clearing 40 °C lower than the corresponding acyclic 2R,3R-butyl linked dimer, likely because the cyclohexyl group hinders π-π stacking in the unfolded conformation of the former.

Intensity-dependent optical nonlinearities of composite materials made of ionic liquid crystal glass and bimetallic nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Although isotropic glass materials are ubiquitous in everyday life, the properties and applications of anisotropic liquid crystal glasses stable at room temperature are still insufficiently explored. In this paper, nonlinear-optical properties of unconventional glass nanocomposites made of mesogenic cadmium octanoate and bimetallic nanoparticles are reported. Two types of bimetallic nanoparticles (Ag/Au core – Au shell and Ag/Au homogeneous alloy) are synthesised utilising an ionic liquid crystal phase of cadmium octanoate as a nanoreactor. A nonlinear-optical characterisation of the studied samples is performed by means of a Z-scan technique and using nanosecond laser pulses at 1064 nm excitation wavelength. The studied nanocomposites exhibit a strong nonlinear-optical response with the magnitude of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility within a 2.81 × 10−8 - 2.19 × 10−7 esu range. The measured values of the effective nonlinear refractive indices and nonlinear absorption coefficients depend on the laser beam intensity. The physical mechanisms of the observed intensity-dependent optical nonlinearities are discussed.

Individual cells generate their own self-reinforcing contact guidance cues through local matrix fiber remodeling.

Directed cell migration arises from cells following a microenvironmental gradient (e.g. of a chemokine) or polarizing feature (e.g. a linear structure). However cells not only follow, but in many cases, also generate directionality cues by modifying their microenvironment. This bi-directional relationship is seen in the alignment of extracellular matrix (ECM) fibers ahead of invading cell masses. The forces generated by many migrating cells cause fiber alignment, which in turn promotes further migration in the direction of fiber alignment via contact guidance and durotaxis. While this positive-feedback relationship has been widely described for cells invading en masse, single cells are also able to align ECM fibers, as well as respond to contact guidance and durotaxis cues, and should therefore exhibit the same relationship. In this study, we directly tested this hypothesis by studying the migration persistence of individual HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells migrating in photocrosslinked collagen matrices with limited remodeling potential. Our results demonstrate that this positive-feedback relationship is indeed a fundamental aspect of cell migration in fibrillar environments. We observed that the cells’ inability to align and condense fibers resulted in a decrease in persistence relative to cells in native collagen matrices and even relative to isotropic (glass) substrates. Further experiments involving 2D collagen and electrospun polymer scaffolds suggest that substrates composed of rigid, randomly oriented fibers reduce cells’ ability to follow another directionality cue by forcing them to meander to follow the available adhesive area (i.e. fibers). Finally, our results demonstrate that the bi-directional relationship between cell remodeling and migration is not a “dimensionality” effect, but a fundamental effect of fibrous substrate structure.

Direct Measurement of the Transverse Modulus of Carbon Fibres

BackgroundThe transverse compressive properties are integral to fully utilizing the high performing mechanical properties of carbon fibres (CF). Direct measurements of transverse properties of CFs are difficult.ObjectiveA system that directly measures transverse compressive modulus (ET) by utilizing interference speckle patterns to measure sub-pixel resolutions is presented.MethodsThe compression data from an isotropic glass fibre was fitted using an elastic contact mechanics model. An initial section was observed, which was not readily fitted using the model and was systematically removed, resulting in an ET of 82 GPa, comparable to the reported longitudinal tensile modulus (EL) of 86 GPa.ResultsThe response of Ag wire to cyclic compression was measured, with the behaviour consistent with a material undergoing typical cyclic stress–strain into a stable hysteretic loop. Several CFs were compressed and an inversely proportional relationship between ET and EL was observed. Transverse compressive moduli of 8.2 (0.8), 6.5 (0.7), 4.3 (0.3), and 2.1 (0.4) were obtained for Toray T300 and Mitsubishi Pyrofil HS40, Pyrofil TR50S, and Dialead K13312, respectively (numbers in parenthesis are standard deviations).ConclusionHysteresis was observed for some of the polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based CFs and a method for ensuring an accurate fitting of CFs, including hysteretic load/unload curves, was proposed.

A template-free, more environmentally friendly approach for glass micro-texturing

Micron and nanometer size textured silicate glass surfaces are of interest in consumer electronics, photovoltaics, and biosensing applications. Typically, texturing glass surfaces requires applying a patterned mask or a pre-etching treatment (e.g. sandblasting) on the glass substrate, followed by a mask transferring or etching process using a fluoride-containing compound. The major challenges of such a process are the complexity and cost of masking, and the safety and environmental concerns around the usage and disposal of hydrofluoric acid. Here, we describe a template-free method to construct micron-sized and submicron-sized texture on isotropic glass surfaces in one step. The new texturing mechanisms are well supported by experimental data and peridynamic simulations. With this novel strategy, the etchant uses fluoride-free chemicals such as citric acid to texture silicate glass. Etchant concentration, etch temperature, time, and additives are the primary parameters that dictate the texturing process. Surface feature size and depth can be independently controlled by tuning the leaching and chemical polishing process. We hope this study can trigger more research on novel and more environmentally friendly texturing of isotropic materials.

Numerical model of end-pumped Yb:YAG double-pass laser amplifier experimentally validated at 129 W output power

Keywords: solid-state amplifier, thermal effects, depolarization In this work, a double-pass end-pumped Yb:YAG amplifier system was investigated experimentally and numerically. The amplifier was seeded by a fibre-CPA based seed laser FemtoLux 30 (Ekspla). The presented laser system produced 129 W average power and 129 μJ energy pulses at 1 MHz pulse repetition rate, with optical-to-optical efficiency of 32% at room temperature (T = 20°C). The resulting beam quality was M2 ∼ 2.1 and the measured depolarization losses were to 17.9%. After the compression, 441 fs pulse duration was achieved. During the work, comprehensive amplifier modelling was performed using the code written in Matlab. The modelling results matched well the experimental data, providing the tool to predict the performance of laser systems based on ytterbium-doped isotropic crystalline, ceramic and glass laser materials prior to designing and manufacturing.

Collective spin dynamics under dissipative spin Hall torque

Current-induced spin torques in layered magnetic heterostructures have many commonalities across broad classes of magnetic materials. These include not only collinear ferromagnets, ferrimagnets, and antiferromagnets but also more complex noncollinear spin systems. We develop a general Lagrangian–Rayleigh approach for studying the role of dissipative torques, which can pump energy into long-wavelength magnetic dynamics, causing dynamic instabilities. While the Rayleigh structure of such torques is similar for different magnetic materials, their consequences depend sensitively on the nature of the order and, in particular, on whether there is a net magnetic moment. The latter endows the system with a unipolar switching capability, while magnetically compensated materials tend to evolve toward limit cycles, at large torques, with chirality dependent on the torque sign. Apart from the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic cases, we discuss ferrimagnets, which display an intricate competition between switching and limit cycles. As a simple case for compensated noncollinear order, we consider isotropic spin glasses and a scenario of their coexistence with a collinear magnetic order.

Relaxation of anisotropic alkali metaphosphate glass

The anisotropic glass of 12.5Li2O-12.5Na2O-12.5K2O-12.5Cs2O-50P2O5 (mol%) shows significant shrinkage during relaxation to an isotropic structure. To clarify the relaxation mechanism, the change in storage modulus (Eˊ) and structure for isotropic and anisotropic glasses was investigated in temperatures ranging from room temperature to above the glass transition temperature (Tg.). The Eˊ for the isotropic glass gradually decreased with increasing temperature. On the other hand, the anisotropic glass showed a marked decrease in the Eˊ even below Tg, then increased, reaching the minimum around Tg, and finally reached the value of the isotropic glass. Raman spectra for the anisotropic glass with increasing temperature showed that the bond strength between alkali cations and non-bridging oxygen, of some local structures in oriented -P-O-P- chains, rapidly weakened. These changes were accompanied by a decrease in O−-P-O− bond angle below Tg. Additionally, the number of these local structures increased with increasing temperature. This structural change led to deformation in the oriented chain and loss of directionality. The change became significant above Tg, and the highly oriented structure could not be maintained. This unique relaxation in the direction of the oriented chain produced the noticeable shrinkage of the anisotropic glass.

Intrinsic second‐order nonlinearity in chalcogenide glasses containing HgI2

AbstractFrequency conversion using nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals is widely used in advanced photonic technologies to produce coherent light in the spectral regions where the available laser sources are missing. Isotropic glasses usually do not show second order nonlinear processes like second harmonic or difference frequency generation (SHG, DFG) except for temporarily induced anisotropy under external stimuli. Here, we show that a HgI2–Ga2S3–GeS2 homogeneous glass exhibits a strong intrinsic SHG response comparable with that of the well‐known NLO single crystal LiNbO3. The origin of this extremely rare phenomenon seems to be noncentrosymmetric bent HgI2 molecules embedded in a sulfide glassy host. Taking into account the unique properties of chalcogenide glasses (wide IR transmission, low phonon density, unlimited ability to be modified changing the appropriate glass properties, fiber drawing and thin layer design), the observed phenomenon opens up the possibility of creating fundamentally new devices for mid‐IR photonics.

Bent HgI2 Molecules in the Melt and Sulfide Glasses: Implications for Nonlinear Optics

Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are widely used in advanced photonic technologies for second harmonic and difference frequency generation (SHG and DFG, respectively), producing coherent light at frequencies where existing lasers are unavailable. Isotropic glasses do not exhibit SHG or DFG, except temporarily induced anisotropy under external stimuli. However, recent reports on glasses with chiral structural motifs show promising permanent NLO properties. We propose an alternative solution: hybrid molecular/network glasses with noncentrosymmetric HgI2 monomers. Mercury(II) iodide consists of linear HgI2 triatomic molecules in the vapor phase and in the yellow orthorhombic polymorph stable above 400 K. At lower temperatures, the tetragonal red form is composed of corner-sharing HgI4/2 tetrahedra forming a layered extended framework. There is a gap in the molecular evolution; direct structural measurements of the liquid HgI2 phase are missing. Using high-energy X-ray scattering, pulsed neutron diffraction, ...

Sensing of ultrasonic fields based on polarization parametric indirect microscopic imaging

This Letter tackles the issue of non-contact detection of ultrasonic fields by utilizing a novel optical method based on the parametric indirect microscopic imaging (PIMI) technique. A general theoretical model describing the three-dimensional anisotropic photoelastic effect in solid was developed. The mechanism of polarization status variations of light passing through the stress and strain fields was analyzed. Non-contact measurements of the ultrasonic field propagating in an isotropic quartz glass have been fulfilled by the PIMI technique under different ultrasonic excitation conditions. PIMI parameters such as sin δ, Φ, and the Stokes parameters have been found to be sensitive to ultrasonic fields.

On the femtosecond laser-induced photochemistry in silver-containing oxide glasses: mechanisms, related optical and physico-chemical properties, and technological applications

AbstractLaser-induced glass processing has led to huge progress and applications over the last two decades. Here, we review recent advances in femtosecond laser-induced photochemistry in isotropic transparent oxide glasses specifically tailored with silver photoactive agents. The understanding of the influence of the considered glass matrix on the nature and properties of the created silver species is of prime importance. After presenting the key material properties, the formation mechanisms of laser-induced silver-based species are discussed, and potential technological applications are highlighted. Laser-induced processing of silver-containing oxide glasses paved the way for the fabrication of complex integrated waveguides and optical circuits with innovative fluorescent, nonlinear optical, and plasmonic properties. The universality of the method is expected to extend in any glass material that shows a similar laser-induced behavior in terms of silver cluster production.

A mixed-form solution to the macroscopic elastic properties of 2D triaxially braided composites based on a concentric cylinder model and the rule of mixture

Understanding the elastic properties of 2D triaxially braided composites (2DTBCs) is fundamental for further analysis and design of structural components made from 2DTBCs. Based on a concentric cylinder model (CCM) and the rule of mixture (RoM), we reformulated the global stiffness of 2DTBCs for the anisotropic carbon fiber reinforcement to replace the currently available formulations for the isotropic glass fiber reinforcement with a replacement scheme. First, the global stiffness calculated from CCM, Quek's model and Shokrieh's model was compared for clarification. It was found that Shokrieh's model had the relatively worse performance under the same conditions. Second, the performances of Shokrieh's model, CCM, Quek's model and CCM+RoM (Reuss-type and Voigt-type) were compared using available experiments under various braiding configurations and our experiments on the hybrid carbon/glass fiber reinforced 2DTBCs, which revealed that Quek's model and CCM+RoM (Reuss-type) could yield equivalently great results, and CCM+RoM (Reuss-type) performed even better in some cases.

Experimental Ultrasonic Study of the Elastic Modulus of Glass Fiber Plastics in Constructions

Results of experimental study of the elastic modulus of composite polymer materials (glass fiber plastics) by a pulsed ultrasonic method are considered. Results of the in situ elastic-modulus testing in isotropic, transverse-isotropic, and orthotropic glass fiber plastics in articles and constructions are presented. A significant distinction between a dynamic elastic modulus determined by the speed of ultrasound and a static one measured according to GOST (State Standard) 9550-81 is demonstrated. Results of studying the anisotropy of fiber glass plastics are provided.

Quaternary volcanic ash of Kharkiv region

Formulation of the problem. The article is devoted to detail geological and mineralogical description of quaternary volcanic ash in Kharkiv region. The purpose of the article is to ground its origin. Presentation of the main material. Quaternary volcanic ash was discovered in Kharkiv region in the middle of last century. There are a few Late Neo-Pleistocene deposits of volcanic ash in Kharkiv region now. They are located in Kharkiv and near such villages as Russki Tishki, Novoselivka, Levkivka, Donetzke and Krasnokutsk. Such deposits of volcanic ash were found in the neighboring regions of the Eastern Ukraine - Lugansk, Donetsk, Dnieperpetrovsk and some other regions. Volcanic ash forms the elongated lenticular deposits in the loess loam strata. The contact of ash beds is clear with underlying loess and gradual with overlying loess. The ash lies 3-5 m below the surface of loess. These ashes are light-grey with feeble yellow or brown shades. Its thickness is up to 0.4 m. The particles of the ash are volcanic colourless isotropic glass with refraction index 1,517. Its forms are various. Plate isometric and elongated ash particles with even straight or cambered sides are the most widespread. Predominance of 0.005-0.1 mm particles in this ash rocks is confirmed by the results of mechanical analyses. This tephra is badly sorted. Their sort factor is 4.2-5.9. The ash deposits were formed by wind transportation of ash particles to wind shadow zones. The results of X-ray investigation are typical for glass. IR-spectra investigation revealed molecular water and hydroxyl groups in the volcanic ash. Chemical composition of the volcanic ash of Kharkiv region is characterized by the average percentage of SiO2 – 58.88, Al2O3 – 18.79, Na2O – 5.03, K2O – 6.30, Na2O+K2O – 11.33. Relation of Na2O to K2O is 0.80 and Na2O+K2O to Al2O3 is 0.60. It corresponds to trachyte and phonolite and is confirmed by the refraction index of glass particles. The volcanic glass particles are angular and non-rounded. This fact signifies the eolian origin of ash deposits. Moreover, numerous manifestations of volcanic ash scattered in loess loams are found in Kharkiv region. These loams contain only a few per cents of poorly rounded volcanic ash particles. The loess loams with scattered volcanic ash and volcanic ash deposits belong to the same stratigraphic datum - to the Bugskij horizon, which correspond to Wurmian stage. Conclusions. All tephra deposits of Kharkiv region are in the ash plume of the super-eruption, which occurred in Southern Italy about 39280 years ago (Campanian Ignimbrite eruption). Kharkiv objects fill territory in this plume between the ash depositions of Romania and Russian Voronezh region. They are similar to all other tephra localities of this plume. The volcanic ash was taken by air from the Phlegraean Fields though the distance between Kharkiv and this volcano is over 2000 km. Scientific novelty and practical significance. We can affirm that Kharkiv ash deposits are the result of distant ashfall of Phlegraean Fields super-eruption. The volcanic ash is a horizon marker in the Neo-Pleistocene strata and a datum mark for archaeological study of the Paleolithic cultures. Volcanic ash is a remarkable component of Kharkiv region geological monuments. Russki Tishki locality of volcanic ash is the best object in Kharkiv region. It is situated in 22 km north from Kharkiv. These geological sights have been used as objects of scientific tourism and native land study. Their protection is of highly necessity.

Third-harmonic generation Stokes-Mueller polarimetric microscopy.

An experimental implementation of the nonlinear Stokes-Mueller polarimetric (NSMP) microscopy in third-harmonic generation modality is presented. The technique is able to extract all eight 2D-accessible χ(3) components for any sample from 64 polarization measurements, and can be applied to noninvasive ultrastructural characterization. The polarization signature of an isotropic glass coverslip is presented, and carotenoid crystallites in the root of orange carrot (Daucus carota) are investigated, showing complex χ(3) components with a significant chiral contribution.

Transport, geometrical, and topological properties of stealthy disordered hyperuniform two-phase systems.

Disordered hyperuniform many-particle systems have attracted considerable recent attention, since they behave like crystals in the manner in which they suppress large-scale density fluctuations, and yet also resemble statistically isotropic liquids and glasses with no Bragg peaks. One important class of such systems is the classical ground states of "stealthy potentials." The degree of order of such ground states depends on a tuning parameter χ. Previous studies have shown that these ground-state point configurations can be counterintuitively disordered, infinitely degenerate, and endowed with novel physical properties (e.g., negative thermal expansion behavior). In this paper, we focus on the disordered regime (0 < χ < 1/2) in which there is no long-range order and control the degree of short-range order. We map these stealthy disordered hyperuniform point configurations to two-phase media by circumscribing each point with a possibly overlapping sphere of a common radius a: the "particle" and "void" phases are taken to be the space interior and exterior to the spheres, respectively. The hyperuniformity of such two-phase media depends on the sphere sizes: While it was previously analytically proven that the resulting two-phase media maintain hyperuniformity if spheres do not overlap, here we show numerically that they lose hyperuniformity whenever the spheres overlap. We study certain transport properties of these systems, including the effective diffusion coefficient of point particles diffusing in the void phase as well as static and time-dependent characteristics associated with diffusion-controlled reactions. Besides these effective transport properties, we also investigate several related structural properties, including pore-size functions, quantizer error, an order metric, and percolation thresholds. We show that these transport, geometrical, and topological properties of our two-phase media derived from decorated stealthy ground states are distinctly different from those of equilibrium hard-sphere systems and spatially uncorrelated overlapping spheres. As the extent of short-range order increases, stealthy disordered two-phase media can attain nearly maximal effective diffusion coefficients over a broad range of volume fractions while also maintaining isotropy, and therefore may have practical applications in situations where ease of transport is desirable. We also show that the percolation threshold and the order metric are positively correlated with each other, while both of them are negatively correlated with the quantizer error. In the highly disordered regime (χ → 0), stealthy point-particle configurations are weakly perturbed ideal gases. Nevertheless, reactants of diffusion-controlled reactions decay much faster in our two-phase media than in equilibrium hard-sphere systems of similar degrees of order, and hence indicate that the formation of large holes is strongly suppressed in the former systems.